Alexander Perov, senior expert of National Energy Security Foundation

– Launch of projects like LNPP-2 is a huge positive signal

Public hearings on the environmental impact assessment of the construction of the 3rd and 4th units of Leningrad Nuclear Power Plant-2 took place in Sosnovy Bor (Leningrad region) June 16. Almost 600 people – representatives of the administration and the legislative assembly of Leningrad region, political parties, non-governmental organizations, mass media and manufacturing companies as well as residents of Sosnovy Bor – took part in the discussion.

The launch of projects like the construction of Leningrad NPP-2 is a huge positive signal for both the region and the whole national economy.

The crisis has knocked down the investors. This decline cannot be overcome without the active support of the state. So, this is really a good signal.

In the 1930s America managed to survive the crisis exclusively due to state investments in its infrastructure. Today, we need state support for stimulating our investment activities, to create new jobs and to enhance the energy security of our regions.

I believe that projects like LNPP-2 are the very trigger that will pull our country out of the crisis. The money can be provided through banks or directly as is the case with LNPP-2. I think that, today, the private business cannot give such money and will not be able to for quite a long time.

Note

The construction of LNPP-2 is part of the federal target program for the development of the energy industry of Russia 2007–2015 approved by the Government of the Russian Federation on Oct 5 2006. The total cost of the project is almost 70bln RUR. The project is analogous to the units built by Russian specialists at Tianwan NPP in China – WWER-1000. The 1st unit is to be launched in 2013.