Dmitry Baranov, senior expert of Finam Management

– The construction of the 3rd and 4th units of Volgodonsk NPP will have a positive effect on the whole region

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 construction of the 3rd and 4th units of Volgodonsk Nuclear Power Plant will have a positive effect on the whole region. Now that we are having problems with employment, this project may offer thousands of jobs and supply the region’s budgets with taxes. The whole south of Russia will benefit from this project: the region will be supplied with enough electricity for ensuring its normal development and for becoming attractive for national and foreign investors.

The energy to be produced by the new reactors may be used during the construction of the Olympic complex in Sochi as well as during the games. This means that Sochi-2014 will be the first Olympic Games to fully meet high ecological standards. This energy may also be used for the construction and operation of communal networks, particularly, water supply systems. We all know that fresh water is a problem in Southern Russia. The new reactors will help us in the matter. One more important advantage of this project is new contracts on the foreign market: the fact that we are effectively building nuclear reactors at home may urge our foreign partners, particularly, Turkey and Bulgaria, to conclude contracts with us.

Thus, we can say that the construction of these reactors will drastically improve the situation in the region, will enhance its investment appeal and will give it quite a good profit.

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.