Denis Demin, independent analyst

– Russian producers will get a chance of higher activity on foreign markets

In 2009 the Government of Russia will allocate almost $4.5bln for the support of the national nuclear industry, Vice Premier of Russia-Head of the Staff of the Government of Russia Sergey Sobyanin said during Atomexpo forum. He said that nuclear energy was one of the key priorities of the Russia-Europe cooperation. Director General of Rosatom Sergey Kiriyenko said that despite its focus on national equipment Rosatom was open for international partnership and was ready to take part in international projects on parity basis. Rosatom supposes that the demand for electricity will be restored in no earlier than two years and, therefore, is revising its NPP construction plans: now, we are planning to start building two reactors a year in 2014–2015.

Considering the unprecedentedly ambitious plans of Rosatom, the load of the companies of the nuclear industry, which has thinned out since the Soviet times, will hardly be a big problem. The investment programs of the Russian nuclear industry cover producers from the former Soviet republics and Eastern European states.

The decision of Rosatom to reduce the intensity of its NPP construction projects due to the aggravating economic situation will have a good effect in terms of prices. The Russian producers will get a chance of high activity on foreign markets and big profit due to simultaneous implementation of NPP construction projects in several states.