Mikhail Matovnikov, Director General of Interfax-Economic Analysis Center

– We shouldn’t give up on such forums just because we are facing a crisis

The 2nd international scientific-industrial forum “Fair of Nuclear Power Plant Construction” is being held in Nizhniy Novgorod May 19–22 2009.

Our key priority is to enhance the innovative appeal of our nuclear industry and to show to potential investors and consumers that it is promising, attractive and open. Today, our nuclear industry depends not only on budgetary money but also on private investments.

Figuratively speaking, presently, our nuclear companies are being raised by one and the same tide, which means that all of them will be overwhelmed should a storm come. So, what they need to do now is to pool their efforts: joint effort will give much better results than individual endeavor.

This forum is a chance for our companies to do it. One of the key objectives of ATOMEXPO is to show to the world that in Russia nuclear industry is not just an industry generating electric power but a sector with huge investment and economic potential. One more important goal of the forum is to foster international cooperation in the framework of large-scale development projects.

Nuclear power engineering needs long-term investments and big capital expenses. So, we should not give up on such forums just because we are facing a crisis. On the contrary, big projects started under crisis are more realistic and have all chances to succeed once the situation improves.

Note

The international scientific-industrial forum “Fair of Nuclear Power Plant Construction” was first held in 2008. Over 80 companies and organizations from four foreign countries (Germany, France, the Czech Republic and Ukraine) and 22 regions of the Russian Federation took part in the event. The program of the forum included open tenders and public auctions for the supply of equipment for the 2nd unit of Rostov NPP, the 4th unit of Kalinin NPP and units of Novovoronezh NPP as well as selection of suppliers and sub-contractors for the construction of the 3rd and 4th unit of Rostov NPP.