Rosatom sees nuclear energy as inalienable part of green transition

MINSK, 29 November (BelTA) – Despite competition the world has come to realize that nuclear energy industry is an inalienable and absolutely necessary part of green transition, BelTA learned from Deputy Director General of the Russian state nuclear industry corporation Rosatom Nikolai Spassky.

Nikolai Spassky said: “For all of us it is a great honor to be at the Belarusian nuclear power plant. It is also pleasant to be here. Without an exaggeration it was the highest priority project for the Russian nuclear industry. It is the first nuclear power plant of the so-called Generation III+ that has been built outside Russia. This is why the signing of the acceptance act and the transition of the nuclear power plant's second unit and accordingly of the entire nuclear power plant to commercial operation is a big event for us. The Belarus president was here and my colleagues and I informed him about the unit's readiness. And today we are holding a session of the commission here.”

When asked about the world demand for peaceful nuclear technologies, Nikolai Spassky quoted the following statistics: “Despite all the sanctions Rosatom is building 22 large nuclear power plant units in seven countries. It is virtually 80% of the world market of nuclear power plant unit construction.”

The Rosatom deputy director general noted that nuclear energy is clean and safe. “In no way do we compete with renewable sources of energy. The most vivid indicator is the fact that Rosatom is Russia's largest operator of wind farms. But you have to understand that nuclear energy industry takes care of the base-load demand. The sun cannot shine 24/7. The same applies to wind. Despite competition and a hardline stance of a number of countries the world has come to realize that nuclear energy industry is an inalienable and absolutely necessary part of green transition,” he stressed.

A session of the Commission of the CIS Member States on Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy is taking place at premises of the Belarusian nuclear power plant on 29 November. Taking part in the session are representatives of the ministries of energy, natural resources and environmental protection, emergencies, academies of sciences, scientific institutions, regulatory bodies of the CIS states, and representatives of the Russian state nuclear industry corporation Rosatom.

Participants of the session are expected to discuss progress in fulfilling the program on developing national nuclear infrastructures of the CIS states and an action plan on implementing the program, matters concerning public acceptability of peaceful nuclear energy projects and promising projects in the area of non-energy technologies. Opportunities for cooperation within the framework of the international research center based on a multipurpose fast research reactor are also under consideration.

Apart from that, the commission is expected to consider a complex of measures meant to improve safety culture in the area of peaceful uses of atomic energy, a draft agreement on making nuclear legacy facilities safe, and an action plan on implementing the agreement on transboundary shipments of radioactive materials.