– The public needs to understand what is going on at Rostov NPP

Public hearings on environment impact assessment of the construction of the 3rd and 4th units of Rostov NPP took place in Volgodonsk Feb 17. Over 1,700 people took part in the hearings: representatives of public organizations, companies, business community, the administration and Duma of Volgodonsk, ecologists and doctors, constructors and operators. They have adopted a protocol containing their remarks and recommendations.

The public needs to understand what is going on at Rostov Nuclear Power Plant. Formerly, people objected to this project because they were afraid of nuclear energy. Today, the situation is changing. We have already built one reactor, which is good. And now we are considering the possibility of building the 3rd and 4th units as this region really needs electricity. So, everything is quite logical.

The construction of new nuclear reactors is part of the efforts to develop the power generating capacities of the region. This is a hard region in terms of energy supply. The energy demand in Southern Russia is very high.

It is also good that the new units will allow Rostov NPP to export electricity to other countries.

Presently, Russia is building a nuclear power plant in Bulgaria. Rosatom has good chances to win the right to build an NPP in Turkey. Of course, they in Turkey will keep an eye on Rostov NPP though it is not clear yet which of the plants will be built earlier.

We have excellent positions in this region just like in Eastern Europe. Particularly, they in Slovakia are finishing the 3rd and 4th units of Mochovce, one more NPP of Russian design. Ukraine also has similar projects. The south, east and center of Europe are short of energy and nuclear energy is the best solution for them.

NOTE

Specialists of the general contractor of the project, Nizhniy Novgorod Atomenergoproekt, made report on the radiation and ecological safety of the plant, the anticipated effects of the project for the residents of the 30-km zone, the technical parameters of the units, the quality of the construction, the economic prospects of the plant and the region, as a whole.

The rapporteurs pointed out that as many as 8,000 people would be involved in the project at its peak time. The four units of Rostov NPP will give the city 3,500 jobs, almost 2bln RUR a year in taxes and 175mln RUR in direct investments.

The units will have no thermal effect on the cooling pond as they will have autonomous cooling towers.

The units will be seismically stable: they will be able to stand a 7-point earthquake.

The representatives of the general contractor pointed out that most advanced equipment and very effective safety systems would be used at the new units.