Russia’s nuclear plants plan to increase electricity production 160% from 129TWh in 2000 to 340TWh in 2020, said deputy atomic minster Bulat Nigmatulin. Average annual growth in production will amount to 10TWh. By 2011, some 6GWe of nuclear capacity will have been upgraded, some 9.1GWe under construction will be in operation and construction will have started on new units totalling 11GWe. Russia has already prepared 20 sites, he said. The cost of finishing partly-built units will be about $360/kW and the cost of constructing new units about $820/kW. By 2015 the industry will require investment of $2.4 billion a year.
Russia would also introduce new reactor types such as the BN-800 (fast neutron reactor), VVER-1500 (water cooled), and Brest (lead-cooled fast reactor). The cost of building a VVER-1500 would be $750/kW.
The cost of equipment manufactured by Russian enterprises has increased by 40% in real terms since 1998. Nigmatulin said equipment suppliers should include guarantee and maintenance services. Manufacturers should be responsible for the equipment they produce and be required to compensate for losses resulting from failure.
