Grigory Naginsky, chairman of the Sub-Committee on Nuclear Energy of the Federation Council Committee on Natural Monopolies

— The Government’s policy is unchanged: we need nuclear power industry and we will develop it

Now that we are celebrating the Day of Nuclear Power Industry Worker, I would like to say that this year was very hard for the industry. We have launched the Federal Target Program for the Development of the Nuclear Power Industry of Russia in 2007–2010 and -2015 — the practical manifestation of the “nuclear renaissance” concept. The hardest job here is to pave the way for the program: when you build a house the hardest and most responsible job is to lay its foundations. Strong foundations are a guarantee that your house will be stable.

According to the program, this spring we started the construction of the first two units of Novovoronezh NPP-2. It was the first new NPP project in Russia in the last two decades. Before that we had just finished several unfinished Soviet-time constructions. The program stipulates that we should build nuclear power units on a constant basis. Before launching the construction, we had done huge preliminary work: we had to obtain lots of licenses.

In Aug 2007 we laid the foundations of the first two units of Leningrad NPP-2 (the construction of the units is to be started in 2008).

We have also launched large-scale reforms. Particularly, we have set up a vertically integrated state-owned holding, Atomenergoprom. Before that we had made a full inventory of our property.

On Feb 5 2007 we adopted a law “On the Peculiarities of the Management of the Property and Shares of Organizations Using Nuclear Energy and On Relevant Amendments in Some Legal Acts of the Russian Federation.” In Apr 2007 the President ratified a decree “On the Reorganization of the Nuclear Power Industry of the Russian Federation.”

In order to attain our goals we have set up engineering companies on the basis of Atomenergoprojects. The companies will design, build, launch and maintain nuclear power plants. We have created all necessary legal conditions for them. 

Presently, we are drafting a bill on the establishment of a state corporation that will control the military sector of the nuclear complex, fundamental science and nuclear and radiation safety.

As regards Prime Minister Viktor Zubkov’s visit to Elemash, one of the oldest and best-known companies of the sector, it has proved once again that the development of the energy sector is one of the key priorities for our authorities. Our primary goal is to enhance our competitiveness in the world. And I am personally sparing no effort towards this end.