— The regional budget will start getting revenues long before the construction is complete.

On October 30, the public hearings on draft statement of work for environmental impact assessment regarding the Central NPP will take place in Chistye Bory, Buyskiy District, the Kostroma Region. Deployment of the Central NPP was approved by the decree of the Head of Administration of Buyskiy municipal district in July 2008 and a resolution of the Kostroma regional administration in October 2008.

Yuriy Semchenkov, Director of the Institute of Power Reactors of Kurchatov’s Institute Russian Research Center:

I do not think the location of the Central NPP will in any way affect its security. Just think, in Bulgaria six power-generating units stood on the river bank at Kozloduy. There are only two of them now, though they have no problems whatsoever, even with the Danube flowing throughout Europe. In Russia security justification includes all operating and geographical peculiarities. Tianwan NPP may serve as another example. It stands in a terrific resort place on the Yellow Sea coast. The Chinese are happy to have a nuclear power plant, safe and environmentally friendly, versus coal-burning facility with doubtful emissions. Besides, the local people benefit from the construction greatly. Construction project will give more jobs, improving the infrastructure. Some apprehensions for the construction will be compensated by the social and economic advantages. By the way, we are currently engaged in construction of Kudankulam power-generating units in India, in the beautiful locations on the most southerly point of Hindustan peninsular, right on the ocean shores. It lies to the north of Sri Lanka, famous for its resorts and fine tea. However, no one fears any NPP problems.

Speaking about the construction, it is clear the NPP will require more experts than the local resources can provide. At all times the builders from all neighbourhood used to take part in such large-scale projects. The entire country was engaged in construction. So, there will be enough work for the local people and for the neighbouring regions. Furthermore, it will facilitate infrastructural development, so quite a few industrial facilities will appear around the plant to fulfill the whole scope of work. The regional budget will start getting revenues long before the construction is complete. There will be a tremendous construction site. It will need so many concrete workers and welders, nothing to say about other specialists. Owing to the fact that the neighbouring Nizhniy Novgorod Region has another nuclear construction project, they may lack specialists, thus forming demand for young resources. I am certain, it may be also referred to construction advantages.

ABOUT THE NUCLEAR POWER PLANT:

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.