OBNINSK (Kaluga region), December 2 (Itar-Tass) - Head of the Rosatom State Atomic Energy Corporation Sergei Kiriyenko believes that Germany’s decision to abandon nuclear power industry is a mistake. “Certainly, it is the right of any country, but I think this is a mistake that in the future will give painful repercussions,” he said delivering a lecture to foreign students of the National Nuclear Research University of MEPhI (Moscow Engineering and Physics Institute).
The head of the national nuclear industry said that Germany had to “lay off 15 thousand people,” and in areas where nuclear power plants are being closed the electricity price has doubled. “Germany does not have sufficient energy, it buys it from France and the Czech Republic – energy produced at NPPs,” said Kiriyenko. He cited data of international experts, according to which “the minimum price that the German economy will pay for the decision to abandon nuclear power is 400 billion euros.”
The Rosatom head said not a single country in the world, except Germany, has abandoned NPPs. Thus, he believes the statements made by Switzerland and Japan that maintain their working NPPs in operation, and will decide later on the construction of new NPPs, are measured. “Italy’s statement on the refusal from NPPs was purely political, because this country has not built a single NPP, so it has nothing to refuse from,” said the Rosatom chief. He recalled that another major European country – Great Britain, by contrast, outlined plans for new nuclear power plants after the accident at the Japanese Fukushima-1 NPP and discusses the construction of 16 power units.
According to Kiriyenko, “The world has no alternative to nuclear power.” At the moment only a third of the world countries has enough electricity, and therefore - can develop. Kiriyenko said that “nuclear power plants’ shutdown will by 25 percent increase greenhouse gas emissions.”
Kiriyenko is certain that despite the accident at the Japanese nuclear power plant, the world by 2030 will see doubling of the NPP capacity. “This means that it is necessary to build 400 - 450 new nuclear power units in the world by 2030,” he said.