9 Oct (NucNet): The first unit of a proposed new nuclear power plant in the Nizhny Novgorod region of western Russia is scheduled to begin operations in 2016, with a second unit following in 2018, the head of the Federal Atomic Energy Agency (Rosatom) has said.
Sergei Kiriyenko told journalists he believes the plant should have
four units "but for the time being we are planning just two".
He said preparatory work for unit 1 will begin in 2009 and unit 2 in
2011. He did not say exactly where the plant will be built, although
the site will be somewhere on the banks of the Volga river.
Mr Kiriyenko also said Russia is on schedule with its ambitious
43-billion-euro (60 billion US dollars) federal programme for the
nuclear industry, which calls for two units to be commissioned every
year from 2012 to 2015.
He said that as part of the programme work had begun this year on new
units at the Novovoronezh nuclear power plant and the Leningrad nuclear
power plant.
"By 2020 we are to build 26 new nuclear power units and 2020 is not the
end of the programme," Mr Kiriyenko said. "We are not going to stop but
will be increasing the pace."
Russia formally adopted the nuclear energy development programme in
October 2006. The programme aims to increase nuclear's share of
electricity generated in the country from 15.6% to 18.6% over the next
nine years.
Related reports in the NucNet database (available to subscribers)
Russia Unveils Ambitious Plans For 40 New Nuclear Units (News No. 226, 19 October 2006)
Construction Under Way On Two New Novovoronezh Units (News No. 155, 22 June 2007)
Russia Pledges To Push Ahead With Completion Of Volgodonsk-2 (World Nuclear Review No. 24 15 June 2007)
The NucNet database currently contains more than 12,000 reports
published since 1991. To subscribe or ask for any further information
