Michele Kearney's Nuclear Wire

Major Energy and Environmental News and Commentary affecting the Nuclear Industry.

Friday, April 29, 2011

Russia Is Set to Propose Stricter Rules for Reactors By ANDREW E. KRAMER

Russia Calls for Binding New Global Rules for Nuclear Countries
Russia was readying a proposal for a new global framework of regulations to cover nuclear power generation, the New York Times reported today from Moscow. Rosatom Director Sergei V. Kiriyenko said safety would be enhanced if all 29 nations relying on nuclear power would accept binding standards. Russia planned to present the proposal at an upcoming Group of 8 meeting in France. However, World Nuclear Association analyst Jeremy Gordon said he saw no need for a new set of rules because International Atomic Energy Agency standards were being upheld by most nuclear regulators: "Anybody who is using nuclear power in a serious way is already well within those guidelines. I could not put my finger on a concrete change" that would make Russian proposals any better than IAEA rules.

The Times reported that more nuclear power plants were being built in Russia than in any other country--15 of the 60 new reactors underway worldwide, Russian officials said. Rosatom said it had 30 more orders for reactors that were priced from $2 billion to $5 billion.

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