Rostov-2 shall be commissioned in time

In January, about 70% of monthly planned works have been completed in the Rostov-2 construction site, the Rosenergoatom public relation service reports.

Based on the schedule, it was planned that 243.9 mln rubles would be spent for Rostov-2 construction in January but the actual spending was 171.14 mln rubles only. The main reason of the delay is the lack of experienced personnel, which still exists in the contractor company Rosatomstroy.

The contractor takes urgent measures in order to correct the situation. The average salary of personnel is now increased by 30%. As a result, over 100 new workers came to Rostov-2 site in January.

As a whole, the Rosenergoatom mentions the positive trends in Rostov-2 site and expects that this reactor unit would be commissioned in time.

Kursk governor urges to complete Kursk-5 unit

Alexander Mikhailov, governor of Kursk region, urges the Russian minister of industry and economics Victor Khristenko to complete the fifth unit of the Kursk NPP, which is under construction from the Soviet era.

The Kursk NPP is equipped by the RBMK-1000 reactors, and this is one of reasons why Russian nuclear establishment has some doubts for Kursk-5 destiny. One more argument against fifth unit completion is given by the RAO EES power company, who does not see the expediency to have new reactor unit in the Kursk region.

However, Mikhailov reminds that the Kursk-5 is half-completed, and there is no good reason to waste the money already spent on this project. He urges the ministry of industry and economics to decide positively on Kursk-5 and resume its construction in 2008.

SKODA STEEL will change its name but keep its master

Recent announcement of OMZ company, related its assets in Czech, stimulated the speculations in Russian and Czech media about future sale of SKODA STEEL company specialized on forging production.

As OMZ explained, the SKODA Kovarny and SKODA HUTE - SKODA STEEL consortium - would be merged in one united company named PILSEN STEEL. The independent experts in Russian and Czech consider such reorganization as a pre-selling activity.

But OMZ spokeswoman denied these rumors. We have to re-brand our Czech assets because we have some limitation for using SKODA trademark, Elena Stakhieva told the reporters.

It is inexpediently for the OMZ company to sell the forging manufacturing plant, which is linked to the nuclear manufacturer SKODA-JS also belonged to OMZ, Victor Murogov argued. Former IAEA deputy director general reminded that the OMZ company is highly interested in nuclear markets and its Czech subsidiaries will take part in fulfillment of the Russian nuclear orders.

According to AtomInfo.Ru knowledge, the alliance of PILSEN STEEL and SKODA-JS may get 1-2 orders per year from Russia for VVER-1000 reactor vessel manufacturing. Another manufacturer Izhora plant, St.-Petersburg, will produce 2 vessels per year.

SOURCE: AtomInfo.Ru

DATE: Feb 15, 2007

Topics: NPP, Russia, Kursk NPP, Volgodonsk NPP, Czech