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

— The key point of the establishment of Rosatom state corporation is to bring our nuclear complex together under one roof

For the first time the idea to establish a corporation uniting the whole Russian nuclear complex was suggested by President Putin in his address to the Federal Assembly in May 2007. Putin said that it would be the next step after the establishment of Atomenergoprom, a holding that has united civil nuclear companies. Now we are talking about a corporation that will unite Atomenergoprom, nuclear and radiation safety companies, nuclear weapons complex and fundamental science – i.e. all we have in the industry today.

This corporation will replace the Federal Agency for Nuclear Energy. Rosatom will be liquidated and the corporation will control the whole complex. The Government will have no special authority in the sphere but, of course, it will keep an eye on it.

The key point of this project is to bring our nuclear complex together under one roof — to combine state control with specific operating practice. If we tear the sector into two parts and give one part to the Government and the other to Atomenergoprom, we will have no integrity in it.

But if we give 100% of Atomenergoprom to the corporation, we will have an integral system and will be able to more effectively control the complex.

State Duma will waste no time in considering the bill. We have to do it quickly but without haste. The bill will undergo three readings and all necessary examinations but we will allow no delay so as to complete the reformation of the sector at the same time with the establishment of Atomenergoprom.

The reforms should be completed by 2008.