Vyacheslav Lushankin, International Academy of Sciences of Ecology, Human Safety and Nature

– This system will allow to better inform people about nuclear energy

Information Center for Nuclear Energy was opened in Voronezh Jan 29 2009. This is the third such center opened in the framework of a special program of Rosatom State Nuclear Energy Corporation with the support of Atomenergoprom OJSC and Energoatom Concern OJSC. Similar centers will shortly be organized in many other regions hosting nuclear power plants and other nuclear facilities. The Center is supposed to contact with schoolchildren, their parents, public organizations, mass media and authorities and to inform them about nuclear energy and nuclear power engineering. It will have a special multimedia program “Voyage into the World of Nuclear Energy,” which will be shown to all visitors. Schoolchildren and their parents will be offered to attend special courses on astronomy, geography, national studies and other subjects.

We intensively cooperate with Leningrad Nuclear Power Plant and are always informed of all events taking place there. That’s why we support Atomenergoprom’s initiative to set up information centers in regions hosting nuclear power plants.

These centers are part of the corporate policy to ensure the ecological and radiation safety of the population and to inform people about nuclear energy. The centers are supposed to explain to people that there is alternative to nuclear energy in the near future.

This well-organized system with its specific goals will help to better inform people about nuclear energy and will urge power companies to show more responsible attitude to ecology, storage and burial of waste, prevention of radioactive emissions. Better informed population will show higher responsibility.

I believe that these centers may cover regional mass media, which may help them to more effectively spread information and to involve company managers in open dialogue.