News of the world

In 1998 the Russian government adopted a development program concerning nuclear energy for the 1998-2005 period, this program was poorly funded. In 2000 the situation changed considerably because Russian nuclear experts stated that the major problems facing the electricity sector could be solved by the use of nuclear energy. Minatom has presented the future of nuclear energy in Russia according to the evolution of the utilization ratio of nuclear plants and the extension of the operating life of a nuclear reactor. According to independent experts, this new program lacks financial support unless sites where important investment had already been made, are chosen. Russia can rely on 12 such sites. Since 1995 the mean utilization ratio of Russian plants has been steadily increasing to reach 72% in 2000 whereas it was as low as 53.2% in 1995. (A.C.)