MOSCOW, December 18. /TASS/. Master plans to develop the city of Polyarnye Zori in the Murmansk Region, Bilibino and Pevek in the Chukotka Autonomous Region were developed with participation of the Rosatom State Corporation, press service of the president's envoy to the Far Eastern Federal District, Prime Minister Yury Trutnev said.

"With participation of the Rosatom State Corporation, have been developed master plans for the Arctic backbone settlements - the cities of Polyarnye Zori (the Murmansk Region), Bilibino and Pevek (the Chukotka Autonomous Region)," the press service said.

The documents will be integrated into long-term plans for comprehensive socio-economic development of those territories. "These documents are being developed to improve the Northerners' quality of life, to raise the level of education and medicine, transport accessibility, to improve the environment, urban environment, to upgrade housing and infrastructures," the deputy prime minister said.

"When working on the master plans, specialists took into account specific features of every city, its natural conditions and development potential. Rosatom has been actively involved in development of regions where its nuclear assets operate. In particular, we have joined the work on master plans for our "nuclear" cities in the Arctic. We are happy all of them have been on the backbone settlements list. <...> Thus now our task is to ensure their effective implementation," Rosatom's CEO Alexey Likhachev said.

In compliance with the master plans, the Russian government will outline long-term plans for integrated socio-economic development of those settlements for the term to 2035.

Key projects

The major projects planned for the city of Polyarnye Zori are: the Kola Nuclear Plant's second unit, the Afrikanda rare earth metals deposit development, the municipal infrastructures upgrade, construction of kindergartens, youth centers, sports grounds and a children's arts house, as well as renovation of schools and of the swimming pool.

Additionally, the plan provides for the urban infrastructures' expansion due to the construction of the Kola NPP's new units, housing for builders and maintenance personnel, necessary services for their families, including kindergartens and schools, and medical services. "Our master plans take into account both the current infrastructure upgrade needs, and those due to the confirmed large investment projects and production facilities that will appear in our region. A special focus is on the Northern Sea Route's development. It is extremely important that the master plans have been integrated into our strategic plan "Live in the North!" - the Murmansk region's Governor Andrey Chibis said.

Bilibino's development master plan focuses on development of deposits of gold, silver and other natural resources, construction of a sports and recreation complex, and the creation of the Bilibino science and technology cluster.

The plan for Pevek, where the floating Akademik Lomonosov NPP is based, includes construction of a multifunctional center with business offices and a sports complex for residents, the local hospital's renovation, the construction of a year-round Pevek - Bilibino road, renovation of kindergartens and schools, construction of apartment buildings, improvement of public areas, and the communal infrastructures' upgrade.

"The master plans allow us to ensure the economy restructuring, to create future for our territories. <...> The main task was to put into words the future for Chukotka's Arctic cities, to create truly master plans, and then to work in compliance with them to improve the urban environment and people's lives," Chukotka's Governor Vladislav Kuznetsov said.

In December 2023, the government listed 16 major settlements in the Arctic, for which began the work to make their development master plans for the period up to 2035.