Semyon Dragulsky, Director General of Russian Energy Efficiency Union

– Siemens’s proposal to cooperate with Rosatom proves that Russia’s nuclear industry enjoys high reputation and confidence worldwide

Rosatom State Nuclear Energy Corporation is ready to pass from one-time projects with Siemens from large-scale partnership in the field of peaceful use of nuclear energy, Prime Minister of Russia Vladimir Putin said during a meeting with Chairman of Siemens Peter Löscher on Feb 3 2009. To remind, last week the Supervisory Board of Siemens decided to sell the company’s 34% stake in German-French Areva NP to the holder of the controlling interest, Areva SA.

Siemens’s secession from Areva NP will shatter the positions of Rosatom’s only rival on the world market. Presently, Areva is experiencing serious problems with financing its investment program and is ready to sell to the government its stakes in some companies. Areva has not only to find 2bln EUR by 2012 in order to buy Siemens’s 34% in Areva NP but also to make ends meet this year.

The problems of the rival are playing into Rosatom’s hands. Siemens’s proposal to cooperate with Rosatom proves that Russia’s nuclear industry enjoys high reputation and confidence worldwide. On the other hand, the partnership of Rosatom and Siemens in the field of NPP construction will make their offers more attractive and whatever form their alliance may have it will be one of the key players of the world market.