Sergei Mitrokhin, Deputy of the State Duma, member of the YABLOKO faction, has expressed his surprise over the statements by some representatives from the nuclear power ministry that the Minister for Nuclear Power Alexander Rumyantsev had not allegedly expressed any readiness to discuss with YABLOKO termination of the construction of new nuclear power stations. "On March 5, 2003, Grigory Yavlinsky and I discussed with Rumyantsev the problems of nuclear safety on the "Basic Instinct" TV programme on the First Channel," recalled Mitrokhin. Mitrokhin also said that the important result of this discussion was the readiness expressed by the minister to "seriously discuss the prospects of abolishing the construction of new nuclear power stations, except for those that are almost completed (75-80%)," and that the released funds would be allotted to strengthen the safety of nuclear power facilities and compensate for the losses from their operation.

However, already on March 7, the official web-site of the Ministry for Nuclear Power displayed a statement by Nikolai Shingaryov, department head for cooperation with the state executive authorities and of the information policy of the Ministry for Nuclear Power, that the minister was only ready to discuss the fate of those nuclear power stations where construction work had not begun.

"The position of Nikolai Shingaryov differs considerably from that of his boss," noted Mitrokhin. - "Minister Rumyantsev spoke only of the need to finish construction of the reactors that are almost ready."

According to Minister Rumyantsev (in his speech in a live broadcast on the First Channel), the Ministry for Nuclear Power is ready to consider abolishing the construction of the fifth and the sixth blocks of Balaklavskaya nuclear power station, the fifth reactor of Kalininskaya nuclear power station, the first reactor of Bashkirskaya nuclear power station and the first reactor of Tatarstan nuclear power station. "If such a decision is adopted, the state will save about USD5 billion," said Mitrokhin. "These funds can be allotted to resolve such problems as evacuation of people residing in contaminated territories, payment of compensation to the victims of the disaster in 1957 at the Mayak plant and provision of complete medical treatment for them and their children. With this money we can completely stop contamination of the Techa river with waste from Mayak and resolve the problem of the Techa water reservoirs. These funds can also be allotted to enable the Ministry for Nuclear Power to implement the social programmes within 30 kilometre zones around nuclear power stations and implement the same kind of programmes at other radioactive facilities. These funds can also be allotted to the construction of a depository for domestically produced spent nuclear fuel, including that coming for nuclear submarines and also to the resolution of the problem of proper financing for all work in the nuclear power cycle. The viability of building a large number of new nuclear power stations raises a number of questions. The supply side of the Russian electricity market considerably exceeds demand. The present nuclear power stations don't even utilise 40% of their capacity. The construction of new nuclear power stations in such circumstances leads first and foremost to the creation of new nuclear threats. It is also necessary to seriously examine the problem of supply of domestic uranium for functioning nuclear power stations. It is well-known that consumption of uranium by Nuclear Power Ministry exceeds its extraction in Russia by two times. Thus, the viability of building new nuclear power stations should be related to Russia’s independence in terms of uranium."

YABLOKO will soon develop a package of proposals to create a legislative basis, which envisages that some of the funds received from sales of the electricity generated by the nuclear power stations will be allotted for nuclear safety, as well as the social and environmental recovery of territories subject to radioactive contamination. "We hope to be supported in our work by the Nuclear Power Minister," said Mitrokhin. "YABLOKO hopes that he will be able to resist pressures from his close circle."

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