Another Scale
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#16July 2013

Another Scale

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The third IAEA International Ministerial Conference collected the world atomic industry elite in Saint-Petersburg. Before the conferences of this level were conducted in France and in China. France is an honored member of the nuclear club (more than a half of the country’s electrical energy produced at NPP), China is a fast-growing market with the most ambitious program of reactor construction. This time Russia was honored to host such a great event. It’s not just a coincidence since nowadays Rosatom has a wide stock of orders for NPP construction abroad along with a large program of Russian atomic energy development. Yukiya Amano was impressed by the level of the conference organization. “The reception was just magnificent. Russia showed herselfas a generous and welcoming host” – said Amano to journalists. According to the conference concluding statement most NPP operating countries completed all procedures concerning stations’ safety. IAEA noted that a matter of crucial importance for nuclear programs development is creating infrastructure. Special attention was paid to fast-breeder, low and medium power reactors. We have already partly told about what was going on at the conference, but there are some more facts to be highlighted. Thus, several agreements were made: Rosatom signed a memorandum of mutual understanding in nuclear power with Sri-Lanka. The two countries are ready to cooperate in nuclear power infrastructure development in Sri-Lanka, in conducting fundamental and applied research, establishing nuclear research center, usage of radioisotopes in manufacturing industry and agriculture, nuclear safety, uranium deposits finding and NF handling. Patali Ranawaka, Sri-Lanka’s Minister of Science and Technology, reminded the audience, that the two countries were connected by a long-term friendship and explained to RIA-Novosti, that the country would make a decision concerning the development of nuclear power after thorough investigation of all safety issues, taking into consideration the Fukushima catastrophe. Russia and the USA agreed that in September 2013 they would sign an agreement on cooperation in scientific research and developments in nuclear and power-producing sphere. Another important document signed was a memorandum between the RF, USA and France on shared use of multipurpose fast research reactor (MBIR). Also, according to Russian-American proclamation signed at the conference, the last LEU supply to America extracted from 500 tons of HEU, within the frameworks of intergovernmental agreement between the two countries, a HEU-LEU program, is planned for November 2013. The HEU-LEU agreement was signed by the RF and USA in 1993. Russian government will continue its active support of the IAEA performance, said Dmitry Rogozin, the RF Vice PM. He noted that Rosatom retained its position as a leader in the country’s industrial development, calling the Corporation the leading economic and industrial enterprise of Russia. He emphasized that Russian safety standards applied for atomic energy are advanced and the country would always keep developing its nuclear technologies, including defense sector.