Viktor Opekunov, chairman of Sub-Committee on Nuclear Energy of State Duma Committee on Energy, Transport and Communication

– I would like to congratulate all employees of nuclear power industry and to wish them further achievements

I would like to congratulate all employees of nuclear power industry and to wish them further achievements in their important and hard work.

The key event of this year was the adoption of the 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” and the establishment of Atomenergoprom holding.

The second important event was the launch of the federal target program, particularly, the start of two new construction projects: Novovoronezh NPP-2 and Leningrad NPP-2.

One more important achievement was the stable work of all nuclear companies throughout the year. Our nuclear power plants and fuel cycle companies have performed excellently. So, we can say that our industry is highly efficient and safe and has good prospects for further development.

Of course, we still have problems and we should not forget about them.

The scale of the federal target program is really impressive. Besides, we are completing a general scheme of NPP construction projects. In the next two months it will be approved and will set even higher goals to us. And our super task today is to achieve it.

It is not enough to adopt a state program and even to provide it with necessary financing. It is important to organize the work well. We need new management systems so as to keep up with the schedule. So, this is our key task for the near future.

Presently, Rosatom is very actively working on the international arena and its head is playing the key role here. Today, Russia is restoring its position on the world nuclear market. We are actively working on the fuel market: particularly, our last agreement with Australia for the import of 4,000 tons of Australian uranium a year. We have set up joint ventures with Kazakhstan: Zarezhnoe and uranium enrichment facility at Angarsk Electrolytic Chemical Combine. We have also established an international uranium enrichment center in Angarsk. Kazakhstan is also involved in this project.

We have other achievements too: the won tender for the construction of Belene NPP in Bulgaria; the launch of the first two units of Tianwan NPP in China; our return into the nuclear fuel markets of the Czech Republic and Finland; the establishment of a turbine production JV with Alstom (France).

It is a huge work and the newly established Atomenergoprom has yet to prove its viability.