A view of reactor shop at Leningrad Nuclear Plant, Russia
Photo: Pavel Kassin
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Atomic Energy Agency Content with Less
Russia’s government has sealed a concept for atomic and power engineering development in the country, whereby the industry will get 674.8 billion rubles from the state by 2015. Only the power generating units that are being constructed now will be put into operation by 2012, i.e. at the first stage of the reform. The second stage (from 2011 to 2015) provides for constructing ten new power unites and launching construction of another ten units.
On Friday, the government of Russia promulgated a go-ahead resolution for atomic and power engineering development. The concept called for and finally shaped by the Federal Atomic Energy Agency could become the biggest federal target program in the country, well ahead of other national projects. The government’s funding, for instance, will reach 674.8 billion rubles by 2015, while the overall amount will fetch 1.4 trillion rubles in prices of 2006.
In the program, Atomic Energy Agency suggests curtailing operational costs of Rosenergoatom by 20 percent, leveling tariff rates for energy generated by nuclear plants to the release rates of heating power plants and raising additional funds, including with private investors. Another request of the program is an access to export markets for Rosenergoatom, as the latter needs export revenues to advance projects apart from the budget backing. In addition to export earnings, the second source of money will be the growth in rates in time of liberalizing domestic market of electric energy. All constructed plants will shift to domestic market from 2015.
Construction of new nuclear plants spelled out in the program doesn’t look very impressive. The target is to put into operation ten new power generating units by 2015 and to launch construction of another ten units.
In view of the worldwide price growth in atomic industry, the program appears rather standard for a country of Russia’s size, which is developing the atomic industry. It is much more realistic than the previous intention of Atomic Energy Agency to construct up to 50 power generating units for nuclear plants by 2025.
www.kommersant.com
All the Article in Russian as of July 24, 2006
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