Bato-Zhargal Zhambalnimbuyev, member of Nuclear Energy Sub-Committee of the Federation Council

– The Sept 4 public hearings in Navashino were held in conformity with the federal legislation

Sept 28 the Ekozaschita group and the Council of People’s Deputies of Murom held public hearings on the construction of Nizhniy Novgorod Nuclear Power Plant in Navashino district of Nizhniy Novgorod region. Ekozashita says that 98% of the participants said “no” to the project because, as they say, “nuclear waste will be released into Lake Svyato” and “the plant may have a negative effect on the psychical health of children.”

The Sept 4 public hearings in Navashino were held in conformity with the federal legislation. The organizers complied with all regulations. Nobody was debarred. Everybody was able to express his opinion. The discussion concerned not a specific territory but the whole process, i.e. the effects the construction would have on the region. In this light, the attempt to single out some specific effect for a special territory is a subjective and incorrect approach. We must approach this project as a whole. You can tear out some specific point from the general context and present it as a negative consequence, but this is not right.

Today, Nizhniy Novgorod region is suffering from serious energy shortages. The NPP construction project stopped in the region in the 1990s has been replaced by a liqueur and vodka factory. The plant to be built in Navashino is a response to the present economic situation. This region is short of power capacities and we must build them exactly there. 30% of the energy to be produced by Nizhniy Novgorod NPP will be given to Vladimir region at a normal price. Enlargement of power capacities is good for the market and will be good for the economies of Nizhniy Novgorod and Vladimir regions.

So, we must consider such projects in the general context. I don’t think that those protesting in Murom can put shutters on this project. One can’t do it twice, can one? On the other hand, we can’t ignore their opinion. We must talk to them, explain and try to find a compromise.

Just remember what an alarm there was in some regions concerning nuclear waste but we spoke with the people and explained that it was a market and we had more pluses than minuses there. So, I think that the authors of this project will have to talk to people. Sometimes such situations happen because of low awareness. In Nizhniy Novgorod region everything is calm because the local population are bettered informed. They in Murmom are afraid because they are not aware of the profits this project can give them. But this problem can be resolved. 

To remind, over 850 people from Nizhniy Novgorod and Vladimir regions took part in the public hearings held in Navashino Sept 1 2009. They discussed and approved the preliminary environmental impact assessment of the construction and operation of the 1st and 2nd units of Nizhniy Novgorod Nuclear Power Plant.

Nizhniy Novgorod NPP is a serial project. A similar project is presently being implemented at Novovoronezh NPP-2. The general designer is Nizhniy Novgorod Atomenergoproekt (part of Atomenergoprom), the owner is Energoatom Concern OJSC (100% subsidiary of Atomenergoprom OJSC).

The plant will have two 1,170MW reactors and will generate over 17bln KWh a year and employ as many as 1,000 people. At the peak time the construction will involve as many as 8,000 people. The 1st reactor is supposed to be launched in 2017. The plant will be situated in Navashino district of Nizhniy Novgorod region.

The analysis of the power and capacity balance in Nizhniy Novgorod region has shown that in 2007 the region was short of 1,800MW while in 2020 it will need as much as 4,000MW.

This is a socially significant project: it will give the region 40bln RUR in profit tax, 50bln RUR in property tax, 1bln RUR in land tax and 50bln RUR in transport tax.