Director of the Russian Federal Atomic Energy Agency (Rosatom) Sergey Kirienko
Photo: Valery Melnikov
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Atomic Turbines to Bypass Ukraine
// Kirienko leaves Turboatom with no orders
At the annual conference of the World Nuclear Association in London yesterday, Rosatom head Sergey Kirienko stated that Russia intends to form a joint venture to produce low-speed generator turbines for new atomic energy stations and to “make an order for more than 50 turbines.”
Kirienko devoted most of his report at the conference to his old idea of founding an international center in Russia for the enrichment of uranium and said that work will begin on that project will begin before the end of the year. Russia is the acknowledged world leader in that technology. However, it will have to study foreign examples of low-speed turbines, however, since none are now being made in Russia.
An industry source told Kommersant that the promised order of 50+ turbines is a high-finance proposition, since they cost between $100 million and $200 million apiece. According to information obtained by Kommersant, negotiations are underway on a joint enterprise to manufacture those turbines with the U.S. company General Electric, French Alstom, Siemens and various Japanese companies. The largest turbine producer in Russia, Power Machines, makes only less efficient high-speed turbines and has no free capacity for new production. Rosatom has long been talking about the need to produce low-speed turbines in Russia.
Kirienko held negotiations with the Ukrainian government and low-speed turbine producer Turboatom during his visit there in January of this year. Kommersant learned that Kirienko suggested then that a joint enterprise be formed in Russia or that a share in Turboatom be sold to Rosatom. Russia wanted to maintain control over the potential joint enterprise. In response the Supreme Rada passed a law prohibiting the privatization of Turbatom. It is not known whether negotiations with Turboatom will be renewed.
Alena Kornysheva
All the Article in Russian as of Sep. 08, 2006
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