International activities

The international activities of Rosenergoatom Concern are aimed at:

• creating favorable conditions for effective operation and development;
• providing information and resource support for the enhancement of NPP safety based on the foreign experience and technologies;
• reducing production costs;
• fulfilling international commitments

The interest in nuclear energy is steadily growing worldwide. Nuclear energy is becoming an essential component of energy security – one of the key tasks set by G8 during a meting chaired by Russia in 2006.

The Government of the Russian Federation has adopted a target program on nuclear energy stipulating substantial enhancement of the capacities of Russia’s nuclear industry. It has also drafted a number of laws paving the way for effective reformation of the sector. In this light, international cooperation is becoming an instrument for coordination of efforts, exchange of positive experience and development of partner relations.

The International Activities Department of Rosenergoatom Concern OJSC carries out active analytical work with a view to optimize international cooperation and to outline the most promising trends. The Concern shows system approach to its international activities: the activities are classified into thematic programs for the sake of comparison and better efficiency analysis.

Special attention is paid to coordination of international relations among nuclear power plants (coordination of plans of action, conduct of monthly teleconferences and thematic meetings of committees coordinating international activities).

• international scientific-technical cooperation;
• international nuclear safety programs;
• foreign economic activities;
• organization of international activities (protocol, customs, export control).

Rosenergoatom Concern actively cooperates with international organizations (World Association of Nuclear Operators, International Atomic Energy Agency, World Nuclear Association, national nuclear societies). Recently it has taken part in the following projects:

• 50^th General Conferences of IAEA
• Discussion of IAEA Extra Budgetary Program;
• Meetings of WANO and WANO Moscow Center;
• WANO partner inspections at Kola and Balakovo NPPs;
• Annual meeting of directors of nuclear power plants of Russia, Germany and Eastern European countries;
• Conferences of the nuclear societies of Slovakia and countries of Pacific region;
• Exhibitions in Vienna and London.

In the framework of bilateral cooperation with key partners (EDF, AREVA NP, Energoatom NAEC) the Concern conducts and takes part in the following events:

• Meetings of coordinating committees;
• Conferences, fact-finding visits, seminars;
• Twinning projects between Balakovo and Zaporizhia NPPs and Kalinin and South Ukrainian NPPs;
• Cooperation  with EDF to enhance the safety of Kalinin NPP.

International safety programs are carried out on the basis of inter-governmental agreements and are aimed at solving problems related to nuclear and radiation safety.

Particularly:

35 projects worth a total of $32.8mln have been carried out in the framework of international programs to enhance the safety of the nuclear power plants and subsidiaries of Rosenergoatom Concern with equipment worth $16mln supplied.

The biggest such program, TACIS, consists of 61 projects worth $168mln: 20 of them have already been completed.

In the framework of the international nuclear safety program Rosenergoatom Concern has 5 official partners with 5 projects underway. The executors of the projects are 32 companies and 9 European states (including 6 Russian companies).

The foreign economic activities are carried out on the basis of direct commercial contracts with foreign companies and implies import of equipment and components, technologies and services by the Concern and its branches.