Astana EXPO 2017 International Exhibition in Kazakhstan is a major global scale event. Entitled ‘Energy of the Future’, the exhibition is naturally focused on the concept of green energy. It will run for 93 days and present the best green energy solutions from all over the world. Leading global experts will discuss how to make green energy affordable, eco-friendly and cost efficient so that it becomes a major development trend in the energy industry for the coming decades. Vicente Loscertales, Secretary General of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), appreciated the level of EXPO 2017, expressing confidence in the exhibition’s success.
Nuclear and beyond
A sponsor of the exhibition, the state-owned Russian nuclear corporation Rosatom will also present its nuclear technologies in the Russia pavilion organized by the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade. Themed Russia as the Planet’s Energy Potential, the pavilion’s design is centered on the Arctic and Lake Baikal, particularly development of natural resources in Russia’s North with advanced technologies.
According to Rusatom International Network, the Russian exposition will feature Rosatom’s major projects crucial for the development of the Arctic region. These include Russia’s icebreaker fleet and floating nuclear power plant (FNPP). Additionally, Rosatom plans to present projects that might be of interest for its international customers and contractors. Options are diverse and include small-scale nuclear generation, wind energy, nuclear research technology, small hydropower plants, nuclear medicine and MultiD technologies. Rosatom will also be present in the pavilion of Kazatomprom, Kazakhstan’s national uranium operator.
What is in store for exhibitors?
Kazakhstan’s authorities have established the Integrated Service Center to provide visa support, tax, banking, insurance and other services. A dedicated system helps to speed up the accreditation process greatly. A village with 1,374 apartments was built around the EXPO site to accommodate commissioners of the national pavilions, their families and staff. For the convenience of international visitors, Kazakhstan has allowed citizens of 45 countries to travel visa-free.
Vitaly Dragunov, Head of Rosatom Central Asia:
The theme of the exhibition – Energy of the Future – is best suited for presenting Rosatom’s prime product – safe and state-of-the-art energy technology notable for both its environmental and economic efficiency. Rosatom is known as a global nuclear industry leader and the world’s only company to offer a line of products that spans across the entire value chain of the nuclear power industry.
However, it is not only our latest achievements in nuclear energy industry – from uranium extraction to nuclear decommissioning – that we are going to show. As you know, Rosatom also provides small hydro generation solutions, such as containerized small hydro plants, and intends to build a plant to manufacture wind generators.
Rosatom is a company that offers equipment and solutions for a vast range of industries, including thermal and hydro power industry, petrochemistry, medicine, agriculture, water treatment and others. We would like to discuss all of these aspects at the Energy of the Future forum, which is going to be a cornerstone of EXPO 2017.
Rosatom is a sponsor of Astana EXPO 2017 and an exponent at Russia’s national pavilion that will host a special nuclear-themed week. Plans are afoot to create a dedicated nuclear energy pavilion at EXPO in collaboration with Kazatomprom.
Russia and Kazakhstan have a long track-record of close cooperation in the nuclear energy industry and nuclear technology. Rosatom’s recent achievements in fast breeder development owe much to the construction and safe operation of the BN-350 reactor in Aktau (Kazakhstan) in the Soviet era. It was at this site where the first nuclear-powered desalination plant was put in operation. Being the most powerful in those times, the plant was supplying the city with fresh water.
Kazakhstan’s cities of Alatau and Kurchatov have operating research reactors designed by Soviet nuclear engineers. Fuel for these reactors is supplied by Rosatom. Today, we are working together with Kazakhstan on uranium extraction and enrichment.
Rosatom Central Asia, whose head office is based in Astana, identifies and evaluates promising areas for cooperation with Kazakhstan’s public and private companies, investments and formation of joint ventures. All this allows for unleashing the full potential of the country’s industry.
It is noteworthy that Russia’s and Kazakhstan’s companies do their business within the single Eurasian economic and customs territory. This is why broader cooperation between them opens up new opportunities, and joint solutions we propose might be applicable in other countries as well.
