16 Apr (NucNet): Russia and the European Union should further strengthen their cooperation on projects to build new nuclear power plants with Russia offering good prospects for European companies in the nuclear supply chain or as investors, state nuclear corporation Rosatom’s deputy director has said.
Kirill Komarov told a Brussels conference on cooperation and competition in the nuclear industry that the Baltic nuclear plant project to build two VVER-1200 units in the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad could become “a pilot project” for Russian-EU Cooperation.
He said European companies could take part in the project in various forms – as strategic investors, equipment suppliers, creditors or power purchasers. Up to 49 percent of Russian nuclear power plant shares can be offered to foreign companies, Mr Komarov said.
The Baltic nuclear plant project is in the Neman district of Russia’s Kaliningrad enclave between Poland and Lithuania. The first of the two units is scheduled to go online in 2016 and the second in 2018.
Mr Komarov said Russia was ready to cooperate on plans to build reactors in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Finland, and Hungary.
He said the basis for developing business cooperation between Russia and Europe in nuclear energy was the “successful experience” of the use of Russian technology in the EU, where 18 VVER reactors are operating in five countries.
Mr Komarov said: “Based on this experience we can further develop our cooperation. A number of European countries have plans to develop nuclear energy and construct new nuclear units.”
He said Rosaton offers “maximum involvement” for local industry and European suppliers, citing as an example the competition for construction of two new reactors at Temelin in the Czech Republic. A Russia-led consortium comprising Skoda, Atomstroyexport and Gidropress is proposing its MIR (Modernised International Reactor) 1200 unit for Temelin and has said it will “localise” 70 percent of all supplies.
European suppliers can benefit from Rosatom’s “leadership” of the global nuclear power plant construction market, Mr Komarov said. He said Rosatom is building nine reactors in Russia and 19 abroad.
“Russian producers account for only 15 percent of total equipment supplies, while procurement by local companies is 30 to 40 percent, and another 45-50 percent can be offered to our partners,” he said.
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