[en] The problems associated with the applicability of electron accelerators for gamma activation analysis are considered. On the basis of the existing level of the accelerator technology development, it is recommended for the realization of the whole diversity of photoneutron and photoactivation techniques to have accelerators for 8.15 and 25 MeV energies. It is demonstrated that in order to guarantee the analyses with the low and average sensitivity the electron beam intensities of 10-30 and 300-800 W, respectively, are required, while for multicomponent analyses in complex matrices with high sensitivity the accelerators should guarantee the electron beam intensity of the order of magnitude of 5-15 kW. The possibility (and sometimes expediency) of the use of non-focused electron beams and 2-3 cm dia targets of beryllium, lead or uranium in the activation analysis is mentioned. In new developments and during modernization of the existing accelerators it is also recommended to take into account the following parameters: the possibility of fine control and the stability of the accelerated electron energy, the resource of continuous operation (no less than 500 hrs), the simplicity of exploitation and the cost per unit of beam intensity. Data on the cost of 1 W of the beam intensity in accelerators of various types are presented