Semen Dragulsky, Director General of Russian Energy Efficiency Union

– Nuclear power engineering is one of the most promising sectors in the field of energy supply and energy saving

In 2009 the financing of the production of equipment for nuclear reactors at St.Petersburg plants will total 20.2bln RUR, Director General of Rosatom State Nuclear Energy Corporation Sergey Kiriyenko said while visiting Baltiysky Zavod in St.Petersburg Apr 21 2009. The amount of contracts concluded with seven machine building companies of St.Petersburg in the last three years totaled 94.4bln RUR: 1.3bln RUR was paid in 2007, 12.8bln RUR in 2008. Kiriyenko said that in the future the financing will be increased as Rosatom needs additional equipment for its nuclear power plants.

This sum is enough for preserving our key asset – specialists — despite the crisis. Today, it is much easier to lose qualified personnel than it was before the crisis. We need them for ensuring development in the future. Today, we are lagging behind our key rivals in the field of peaceful use of nuclear energy: in Russia there are 10 times less nuclear reactors than in the United States. But we have capacities for growth. I believe that nuclear power engineering is one of the most promising sectors in the field of energy supply and energy saving. This is a global trend: the United States is planning to build 100 NPPs, China – 50, India – 40. Such projects require specialists with very high qualification, who know how to operate reactors and how to ensure their safety. I would like to say once again that 20bln RUR can well keep our machine building companies afloat and can help them to preserve their personnel.

This money is a certain guarantee of stability for these companies and their employees.