— Speaking about the regional economy, firstly, these are investment injections, extra taxes, extra jobs, improved financial solvency of inhabitants, additional development of the regional infrastructure, and, finally, it brings in social and economic development

On October 20th a session of the Community Council for the issues of nuclear power utilization in the Kostroma Region has been held in the Kostroma Region. The major issue on the agenda was the Central NPP construction in Buyskiy District. It gathered the deputies of all levels, the leaders of public opinion, public organizations and Mass Media in the Kostroma Region, the delegates from the regional and Vologda construction businesses, and Rosatom SK, Energoatom Concern, JSC, Atomenergoproject Research and Design Institute, the Institute for Safe Development of Nuclear Power Industry of the Russian Academy of Science.

Natalia Podkopaeva, Director of TEC department and pricing policy of the Kostroma Regional Administration:

Speaking about the technical aspect of the Central NPP construction, firstly, it shall mean the power reliability and safety. As of today, we have two facilities, two generations, such as TGC-2 and Kostromskaya GRES. One plant is gas-operated, another burns peat, fuel oil and gas. These are costly plants. The prime cost of electricity in the region generated in TGC-2 is 1.04 rub. per 1 KW/h, and in Kostromskaya GRES -94 kop. The difference is 10 kopecks, although Kostromskaya GRES mainly burns gas. We estimate that the prime cost of an electric power generated at NPP is slightly above 70 kopecks.

Speaking about the fuel factor we depend on, such as peat, for instance, it means weather conditions, as for fuel oil –it involves delivery, i.e. dependence on transportation, railway logistics and shipping costs. Thus, the fuel factor at traditional generation existing in the region, is something at 60% and above, which is from 64 kopecks at Kostromskaya GRES to 75 kopecks at TGC-2, while the fuel factor in the nuclear power industry us about 23%, i.e. slightly over 16 kopecks.

Speaking about the regional economy, firstly, these are investment injections, extra taxes, extra jobs, improved financial solvency of inhabitants, additional development of the regional infrastructure, and, finally, it brings in social and economic development (hospitals, schools, kindergartens and so on). Secondly, it will bring about changes of the situation in the northeast of the region, in Kostroma city and the region in the whole.

Today we need this nuclear power plant, because the energy sector has always been a traditional region-forming factor in the Kostroma Region, while nowadays its value has been reduced from 30% to 10% in the regional gross output.

I believe, we have to bring back our tradition. If we have a good high quality energy supply, it will help us attract investors for construction of other facilities, and it will improve the quality of life in the region.

HISTORICAL REFERENCE:

Construction of the Central NPP is suggested at Buyskiy District of the Kostroma Region, 10 km to the northwest of Buy City, on the right bank of Kostroma River.

At the Central NPP construction provisions are made for designing of the power-generating units #1 and #2 with the total capacity of at least 2,340 MWt. The rated capacity per 1 power-generating unit shall be at least 1,170 mWt (e); the service life of a power-generating unit shall make 60 years; power efficiency factor (net) is at least 34.7%; mean average operating ratio at the rated capacity – 0.92; predicted capacity factor for a power-generating unit – 0.90); auxiliary power consumption – under 7.0% of the total output; specific number of industrial and manufacturing employees providing maintenance services -0.43 pers./MWt.