500 N-plants across the world by 2030: Russian scientist

Chennai, December 11
A total of 500 nuclear power units would be operated across the world by the end of 2030 as more number of countries have now recognised the “necessity” of atomic energy, a senior Russian nuclear scientist claimed here today.

“Most reserved forecasts suggest that by 2030 a total of 500 nuclear power units will be operated on the planet (Earth). An increasing number of countries now recognise the necessity in nuclear energy,” Oleg Tashlykov, leading professor and reader from Russian Federal University Nuclear Energy Department said.

Addressing students of Anna University here, he said some of the objectives of nuclear power development was to improve the country’s fuel balance, increase the share of high-tech products in GDP and exports and radical solution to the problem of greenhouse gas emissions.

“In order to achieve these goals, it is planned to actively increase the share of nuclear power in the country, to form the leading position of the Russian power complex in the structure of the global nuclear power and its fuel cycle to introduce nuclear energy in the long term in the energy- intensive industrial technologies,” he said.

Contending that Fukushima Dai Ichi accident had not changed the global plans for nuclear power development, he elaborated on the Russian experience with nuclear power engineering, including the specifics of certain Russian reactors (such as VVER-1000 -- used in Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant—and  AES-2006).

Talking about safety of nuclear power, he said, “During manufacturing of equipment and construction of nuclear power plant, safety problem is addressed by using proven technologies, compliance with design requirements, special requirements documentation and execution of work at a high level of quality.”

The lecture was organised by Russian Nuclear Corporation Rosatom for the students of Institute of Energy Studies of Anna University and dedicated to the important aspects such as Nuclear technologies safety, Russian innovations and modern trends in NPPs construction and Education in nuclear energy. — PTI