Nikolay Ponomaryov-Stepnoy, Vice President of Kurchatov Institute

– It is economically expedient to reduce oil and gas burning by producing nuclear energy

Prime Minister of Russia Vladimir Putin has suggested diversifying Russia-UAE cooperation and developing interaction in the field of peaceful use of nuclear energy. “We have interesting opportunities for developing our cooperation, not only in power engineering and tourism but also in the sector of high-technologies, including space and nuclear energy, and, of course, in the field of investments,” Putin said during his meeting with Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum in Moscow on Tuesday, Mar 31 2009.

Any sensible owner of oil or gas reserves understands that the production peak is around the corner. The oil production is already at its peak, the gas production will reach it in some 15–20 years. So, we must foresee what we will do to replace oil and gas and to reduce their extraction. I think that the only alternative here is nuclear energy. Sun, wind and water energies will not be able to replace organic resources.

I am sure that the exporters of organic fuel, including the United Arab Emirates, Russia and even Iran, would like to replace burnt oil and gas with nuclear energy so as to free additional oil and gas flows. Russia has shown such an intention by adopting a large-scale NPP construction program and thereby freeing quite big amounts of gas for export. Today, it is much more expedient to build and operate a nuclear power plant than to burn oil and gas. That’s why I welcome the cooperation of Russia and the UAE, whose oil reserves are not endless.

It is economically expedient to reduce oil and gas burning by producing nuclear energy even if the Arab states did not reach the peak of oil production. The Middle East will become an area of fierce fight for markets. Not only Russia, the United States and France but also China have interests there. Russia’s participation in the construction of a nuclear power plant in that region is not only an economically but also political achievement. But we will face a big hustle there.

Our chances to build new NPPs in the Middle East – and not only there – are quite big. Our wish to win on the nuclear market is quite natural. We must do our best to outrun our rivals in the Middle East and Central Asia. If we really want to do it, we must actively perfect our own reactors.