– How do you believe the atomic industry to change by 2030?
– There are a couple of things. One vital thing is that nuclear safety must be enhanced. There are many things already done but this is a continuous process. This is a very important issue in terms of continuing using nuclear power. Technical and technological innovations are extremely useful for making nuclear power safer and stable. We also have to develop more the handling of the nuclear waste.
– Today many countries count on fast reactors, some prefer light water technologies. In your opinion what would be the technological base of the future?
– Fast reactor is a very effective way to use limited natural resource in an effective and efficient way. I have lots of hope for this type of reactor for the future. For now the most approved technology is light water reactors and I think that the use of light water reactors will continue in the coming years.
– In your opinion what place in future will take small modular reactors? Will it be possible to see the whole market of such reactors in future?
– Small modular reactor is today widely discussed and it is believed to be very useful and effective for the safety reasons, cost effectiveness and for providing electricity to remote areas where the infrastructure is not yet developed. But more experience is needed to prove that this is really a future option and economic competitiveness is also quite important. Small modular reactor has the future but still we need to see how it works.
– Do you believe that a renewable energy source will play a bigger role in the future?
– For sure. It is very clear that renewables will expand. But it doesn’t mean that renewables will overtake nuclear or vice versa. Good energy mix is needed. And in energy mix in the future renewable will have an incredibly important place. But nuclear power will also be needed in the coming decades, it will be important part of the energy mix.
– What do you think about shale gas prospective? Can it be a rival to nuclear energy?
– Again we need to see. The IAEA has an estimate of use of nuclear power in the future. We have low estimate and high estimate, low scenario and high scenario. The low scenario takes into account the increasing use of shale gas, but we are not sure yet how important that element is. Nevertheless I don’t think shale gas will replace nuclear power. Energy companies won’t depend on one single source. Good portfolio is needed to make energy supply reliable and sustainable, this is the matter of proportion.
– Let’s talk a little bit about the agency. It has a long history, but do you still think it has to be changed? Or its current structure and the role it plays are ideal for today’s circumstances?
– There are elements that we do not have to change and those that we have to change. The agency was established some 60 years ago and the founding fathers of the agency had the great idea – atom for peace. This concept stays the same. But the issues that we have to address are changing constantly, for example in the past we did not think the developing countries would use nuclear power. Now newcomers are very eager to use it. In the past we did not think terrorists would have access to radioactive materials. Those materials are dangerous, terrorists can use them making nuclear explosive devices. There are some examples but subjects are changing all the time. Peaceful application is expanding, but the basic concept stays the same. The important thing is that we have to make continuous efforts to improve our management, adapt to the 21 century’s reality and deliver the result with improved management.
– But still, do you think that the agency should strengthen its role on the global market?
– Yes, we have a huge role to play. Let’s take as an example “Millenium development goals” (eight international development goals, accorded to be achieved by 193 states (UNO members) and at least 23 international organizations by 2015 – editor’s note) or the development goal after 2015. We face serious issues: lack of energy, food security, spread of cancer in developing countries or increasing water shortage. All these issues have something to do with nuclear technology. In other words, using nuclear technology we can solve problems like food crisis, water, energy shortage and health problem. We have a big role to play and we have to expand our work.
– The last question. Can you share your expectations on the coming agency’s conference in Saint-Petersburg?
– This event is very important. After the Fukushima accidents the confidence in nuclear power was severely damaged, but gradually the Fukushima accident is behind us. We learned the lesson and now it’s time for us to look into the future. Saint-Petersburg meeting is the first occasion when we’ll discuss this issue collectively. I have to thank Russian government that it has paid such a high attention, helped to hold this meeting with very generous contribution. This will be the turning point in the use of nuclear power for the future.
