Adoption Of Investment Programme In Atomic Energy Of Russia Suspended For Two Weeks

The Russian government gathered in session Tuesday to make a decision to suspend a final adoption of investment programme in atomic energy sector, Alexander Rumyantsev, Atomic Energy Minister of Russia, told the press summing up the results of the Cabinet session. According to him, such issues as finalizing the documents on profit spending, cooperation between nuclear power plants and regions, certain economic problems should be settled within the two weeks. The problem of cooperation with RAO UES Rossii on electric-power exports and network issues also needs to be settled. Rumyantsev stressed that the finalized programme would be considered again at the Cabinet session. He also said that the Atomic Ministry proposes to allocate 23.5 billion rubles' (about USD 800 million) worth of investments in the sector in 2002. Specifically, owing to these investments 29 gigaWatt of unfinished capacities will be put into operation. The minister noted that the Russian atomic energy sector is currently represented by ten nuclear power plants and 30 reactor units. The sector produces 15 percent of all electric power and covers 30-40 percent of energy balance in the regions where NPPs are situated.