and design and construction of spent nuclear fuel and radioactive waste facilities so that power-plant operations are not inhibited by accumulation of these materials.

At present, 31 reactors operate at 10 nuclear power plants in Russia (see Figure C-1 for the locations of these and future nuclear power plants). Beginning in 2007, each year Russia plans to initiate construction of at least two nuclear power units with a combined capacity of about two gigawatts electric (GWe). By 2015, the Russian Federation plans to invest approximately 1.5 trillion rubles in the design and construction of new NPPs. If this schedule is kept, 10 new nuclear power reactors with an installed capacity of 9.8 GWe will be put into operation by 2015, raising the total nuclear generating capacity in Russia from its current level of 23.2 GWe to 33 GWe. This would increase the nuclear power share of Russia’s nuclear generating capacity to an estimated 18.6%. Beyond 2015, the plans are even more ambitious: construction of between three and four nuclear power units annually. By 2030, the goal is for nuclear power plants to generate 25% of Russia’s electricity. Figures C-2 and C-3 illustrate the planned growth. With such significant expansion of its use of nuclear power, Russia has concluded that it should develop a systematic solution to problems concerning spent nuclear fuel and radioactive waste.

FIGURE C-1 Locations of existing and planned future nuclear power plants in the Russian Federation.