Semyon Dragulsky, Director General of Russian Power Efficiency Union

– The appointment of Sergey Shmatko as Energy Minister shows that nuclear energy will be given high priority in Russia

The appointment of Sergey Shmatko – a person having huge experience in managing big energy projects — as Energy Minister of Russia shows that our government will give high priority to the development of nuclear energy.

Shmatko did very much as the president of Atomstroyexport CJSC. We have not only returned to the European market with our highly efficient and safe nuclear technologies by winning a number of tenders (particularly, the Belene NPP project in Bulgaria) but have also shown that we are worthy rivals to all international corporations.

In 2007 Atomstroyexport launched a unique facility – Tianwan Nuclear Power Plant in China. This plant is really unprecedented. This means that under the management of Shmatko Atomstroyexport will continue to fulfill the biggest number of NPP construction contracts.

If the new Energy Ministry pays special attention to nuclear energy, this will substantially enhance the competitiveness of our nuclear products on the world market.