Igor Igoshin, Vice Chairman of State Duma Committee on Budget and Taxes

– In 2007 the Russian nuclear power industry is entering a new phase – a phase of long-term growth with brilliant prospects

Mr. Igoshin, 2006 was quite eventful for the Russian energy sector. What are its key results for the nuclear power industry?
 
The key result is certainly the nuclear power engineering development program, which got necessary political support and, most importantly, financing. In fact, the sector is entering a new phase of long-term growth with brilliant prospects.

Structural reforms are inevitable. One can’t use the same structure for solving elementary survival problems (something we have been doing in the last 15 years) and for ensuring large-scale development. However, the reforms should be accurate and well-thought-out lest we might break the potential we have managed to preserve with so much pain.

Last year the Government adopted a whole number of normative acts aimed at drastically reforming the work of the sector, particularly, the federal program of reforms. Why has the Government changed its attitude towards the nuclear power sector exactly now?

It’s time for strategic planning, for solving strategic tasks. Today, Russia has necessary financial resources and institutional basis and, most importantly, primary social consensus on where and how to move. The nuclear power sector is just one example of reviving strategic approach. There are many other projects: restoration and consolidation of aviation, formation of investment fund, etc.
 
It is absolutely logical that nuclear power engineering is among the strategic directions. First, it has excellent prospects in the world. Second, there are few really serious nuclear energy producers in the world, and Russia is one of them. Third, if we really want to become a leading player on the world energy market, we must play in all of its segments. If we do it, we will always be at advantage irrespective of the situation in the world. The demand for one or another types of energy may fluctuate but the general demand for energy will certainly grow.

Which directions of the reforms are the most important?

I would like to point out two components. First, we should build new capacities both in Russia and abroad. To build NPPs at home and to lose the world market means to lose high-tech export worth tens of billions of USD. To work only abroad means to let down own economy, which is in growing need of energy. Besides, we can’t guarantee that we will get the same volume of foreign orders if we fail to arrange serial production at home.

Second, uranium enrichment services are a very promising and interesting sphere. We have excellent technologies and we could earn big money on them. Of course, here we should solve many legal and political problems but, if the project works out, it will be a real success.