During preparation of a short list the power capacity of projects and synergetic effect from construction and commissioning of nuclear units was taken into account. Russian projects, according to “Power Engineering”, express the world power industry trend — the newest technologies, allowing creation of the cleanest and effective energy sources.

Trend reflection
Experts in the power industry sphere agree with the choice made by the magazine. “From our point of view, “Power Engineering” magazine’s decision looks objective and justified, after all Rosatom constructs today more than any other company in the world nuclear market, and successes of Russian nuclear scientists are most obvious in countries with rapidly developing economies, where scale, stable deliveries of relatively inexpensive energy are most necessary,” underlined Alexander Ignatyuk, chief of “Energokapital” investment company analytical department (universal financial group providing private and institutional investors with a full range of services in the financial market of Russia).

According to the expert, projects of Bushehr and Kudankulam NPPS are already obviously successful on the one hand, as a part of units has already been constructed and commissioned, and the another hand, they are the basis for the further essential expansion of cooperation at the same sites.

“Besides, both Bushehr and Kudankulam NPPS reflect the key trend of the world power complex development, consisting in displacement of the most highly technological vector in the countries of Asia. It should be noted that both projects are unique in their own way in terms of engineering solutions, application of technologies and safety,”says Ignatyuk.

Yury Prokudin, Grand Capital company analyst agrees with this point of view (he has been working in the sphere of complex services in the financial markets since 2006). “The choice of projects of the year is generally systematic: projects impress with their immensity, and not only in terms of investments, but also with their engineering and technical solutions: Iran plant Bushehr exists as the project since 1974; it was constructed according to the Germany project,” reminded the expert. “Despite the complexity on plant commissioning, the Russian experts managed to make it. Taking into consideration that it was originally necessary to use the German equipment, the Russian contribution is simply huge”.

Besides the first power unit, the Russian experts will be involved in construction and commissioning of the following two units at the same site, it became known in the end of 2014. “For the Russian party and particularly Rosatom it is a quite promising project, especially with the account of that new power units will be equipped with Russian VVER-1000 reactors that comply with all norms of safety and ecological compatibility” assured Proskudin. He also considers the Indian project not less promising for Rosatom, especially with the account of that the agreement on construction of subsequent two power units of Kudankulam NPP has already been signed.

Dmitry Baranov, the leading expert of «Finam Management» company (it runs the assets of institutional, corporate and private investors), considers the choice of Russian project made by one of the oldest and authoritative magazines in the sphere of the world power industry as a rather remarkable. And not only because the magazine is American, and projects are Russian. “Power Engineering” assesses the projects instead of their effect on the policy, and these plants were chosen knowingly since this is really one of the best projects in all nuclear engineering industry for the last years,” he noted.

The expert explains the “Power Engineering” choice with several reasons. First, Busher and Kudankulam are one of the most advanced projects in the nuclear industry, and not only in terms of production efficiency and use of the newest technologies, but also in terms of level of operational safety, practically total absence of harmful environmental impact. Secondly, they were chosen because are they are implemented in countries, where the demand for cheap and, most significantly, clean electric power has been actively developing lately — Iran and India. Thirdly, the superiority of these nuclear power plants is explained by that their influence on the economy of these countries is huge. “In fact new industries are being created there; the national industry gets a shot in the arm, since Rosatom has always been attracting local companies to NPP construction in other countries. Local specialists are prepared for nuclear engineering industry, necessary experience is gained, budget revenues increase. Life of millions of Iran and India citizens changes in a quality manner, since all they get access to cheap electric power, i.e. economic and social situation of the population improves. Enterprises with all forms of ownership have the opportunity for growth, strengthening of their competitive positions, they can expand their portfolio, enter new markets, due to inexpensive enough electric power,” explains Baranov. The choice of these plants is also the acknowledgement of Rosatom leadership, which constructs more than any other company, both according to the number of power units and the total capacity, believes Baranov.

Par excellence
There are no analogues to Bushehr NPP in the world. German concern Kraftwerk Union AG (Siemens/KWU) started its construction in 1974. In 1980 the government of Germany joined the USA sanctions against Iran, and its construction has been terminated.

When Iran returned to the plant construction using the created capacities, only Russia committed to helping solve this problem.

In August 1992 the governments of the Russian Federation and Iran signed the agreement on Bushehr NPP construction, and in January 1995 the contract was signed on completion of the first power unit construction.

Russian company Atomstroyexport and its contractors managed to integrate Russian equipment into the construction part executed according to the German project, and to make use of about 12 thousand tons of German equipment. Designers had to invent, develop and apply a variety of original technical ideas and know-how. Design, technological and layout solutions that have no analogues, the whole complex of unprecedented works performed at the site make this project of Bushehr NPP construction globally unique.

The first unit of Bushehr NPP was connected to the national power supply system of Iran in September 2011. Commercial commissioning is planned for 2015.

Russia and Iran signed in November 2014 the contract on construction of two new units of Bushehr NPP using the Russian technology. Two improved power units will be erected in the plant with “3 plus” generation VVER reactors and 1000 MW capacity, which have all necessary safety systems.

Kudankulam NPP is being constructed with technical assistance of the Russian Federation according to the intergovernmental agreement signed in 1988 and the amendment to it signed in 1998.

The first NPP unit is today the most powerful unit in India and corresponds to the most modern safety requirements. The unit was connected to the national power supply system of India in 2013. Start-up of the second power unit of the plant is expected this year.

Electricity rate of the first stage of Kudankulam NPP is almost twice lower than such designed in American projects on construction of nuclear units in India.

Moscow and Delhi signed in the spring of last year the general frame agreement on construction of the second stage (third and fourth units) of Kudankulam NPP, and in December they signed documents allowing commencement of its construction.