Andrey Khanin, director of Kurchatovsky technopark

– Physically, accidents like that in Chernobyl cannot happen

Nuclear facilities in Russia are very safe. Of course, if we compare our technologies with those applied in foreign countries, for example, in France, there are certain nuances. For example, in France nuclear reactors are produced on a serial basis, while in Russia each reactor is unique. On the one hand, it is good – as each reactor is fit to a specific NPP, but, on the other hand, it is hard – as each reactor needs individual approach in maintenance and operation. But, in any case, our reactors are very safe.

As you may know, on Sept 19–21 Leningrad NPP hosted a complex emergency training. During the training Rosenergoatom checked up the preparedness of the plant’s personnel and equipment and its ability to effectively interact with the REA Emergency Response Group and Crisis Center.

Representatives of nine states – Armenia, Germany, Korea, Norway, the United States, Ukraine, Finland, France and Sweden – came to observe the event. All of them confirmed the high safety of the Russian NPPs.

“As regards accidents like that in Chernobyl, they are not possible as far as the laws of physics are concerned. Today, we no longer produce channel-type reactors, while WWER reactors operate quite differently. In the last years, our existing channel-type reactors have been provided with automatic security systems – they stop the reactors once any problem has occurred. So, no accidents are possible.”