Russia pledges 1 trillion rubles for new nuclear

• 10 years ago (2013-05-03)
• Junior Isles

Europe 1061 North America 998 Nuclear 640

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Russia is to spend 1 trillion rubles ($31.3 billion) to develop a new generation of nuclear power plants. The money, which will be spent through to 2015, will be used to develop plants that will have improved safety design features and water desalination systems.

Mikhail Ulyanov, director of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s department for security and disarmament stated that Russia’s new generation of nuclear power plants will include additional safety features such as double reactor containment, passive heat removal systems, and specialized cooling units.

“Nuclear security and nuclear power production safety should be upgraded with the aid of new technological solutions,” said Ulyanov.

Ulyanov also confirmed that Russia was designing the reactors to not only generate electric power, but also desalinate water. Plants with such reactors may potentially become “instruments of development for many countries,” Ulyanov believed.

Ulyanov’s latest comments come amid Russia’s participation in on-going international discussions about nuclear non-proliferation, and in particular the Geneva Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) talks.

The 1970 Treaty is scheduled for review in 2015, with preparatory talks now underway. The NPT treaty has been signed by 190 countries.