Vladimir Grachev, chairman of State Duma Committee on Ecology, professor

— Year of transition to large-scale development

This year we have witnessed a number of crucial events. We have adopted a law on the reorganization of the nuclear power industry and have started relevant reforms. And second, we have launched a large-scale program for the development of the industry and a program for the enhancement of nuclear and radiation safety.

No less important projects are being implemented in the field of ecological safety: the resettlement of the village of Muslumovo, the reconstruction of the dam on the Techa cascade and a number of nuclear, radiation and ecological safety measures at Mayak PA and Chelyabinsk region. We have launched new NPP projects and continue the ongoing ones.

In fact, it was a year of transition to large-scale development. As an ecologist, I am pleased to note that the development of nuclear power engineering is an effective way to solve some of the global climatic problems. It is a way to reduce the greenhouse effect and to prevent the global heating. The less gas and oil we burn the less climatic problems we will have. And the development of nuclear energy, at present, and the energy of a matter, in the future, is the only solution to this problem.

Our foreign projects are our great achievement. I would like to point out the personal contribution of the head of Rosatom Sergey Kiriyenko to the development of the nuclear sector. I think that, if we continue to move at such a pace, we will be able to solve lots of ecological problems. I don’t agree with the ecologists saying that nuclear energy is unsafe. I would like to say that nuclear energy is very safe and I advocate its further development in Russia and worldwide. Rosatom is successfully working towards this year. Our State Duma and Foreign Ministry are no less successful in the field. For the first time ever, Russia has been appointed as PACE rapporteur on the development of nuclear energy in the world. Today, nuclear energy is being actively developed worldwide. The Untied States and many European countries are revising their attitudes and the most important thing is that Russia is playing the key role in this process.

I would like to congratulate all nuclear industry workers on their professional holiday.