Alexander Mikhaylov, governor of Kursk region

— Unless we finish the 5th unit of KNPP, the Center of Russia will face energy crisis

The economy of Kursk region and the Center of Russia will face an energy crisis if we fail to finish the 5th unit of Kursk NPP, the governor of Kursk region Alexander Mikhaylov told journalists before the State Duma Energy Committee’s guest meeting in Kurchatov on Jan 18.

Mikhaylov said that in 2–3 years the Center of Russia will face an energy crisis and this will lead to a decline in the industry.

He said the same during his speech at the meeting. He said that the economy and development committees of Kursk, Lipetsk, Belgorod, Oryol and Bryansk regions, who get electricity from Kursk NPP, have all come to the following conclusion: they vitally need new energy capacities. The industry of those regions grows by 5%-7% a year, while the energy production remains the same. Mikhaylov said that by 2010 the energy shortfall will grow by 13%. Already today Kursk region is short of energy capacities: in 2006 the energy shortfall made up 4bln KWh.