CJSC “Atomstroyexport” has encountered its foundation day, March 25, 2008 with optimism and vast plans for future.   The first decade of work has been marked by numerous victories of the company which have become the success of the Russian nuclear industry as a whole.   The main success achieved during this time is gaining a position on the world market of NPP construction in severe conditions of competitive struggle and obtaining realistic perspectives of large-scale promotion of modern Russian nuclear technologies abroad. 

10 years – is it long or short?

In 1998 “Atomstroyexport”, created on the basis of OJSC “Atomenergoexport” and AUPE “Zarubezhatomenergostroy”, became the only company representing Russia in the world market of NPP construction and started implementing the tasks imposed on it as the successor of the leading Russian companies having the long-term experience of working abroad.   It undertook obligations for implementation of intergovernmental agreements concluded before, and at the same time it started organizing work in conditions of transition to the market economy.   

Construction of Tianwan NPP in China which started in 1997 remained a truly formidable task.  In 1998 Supplement No 1 to the contract for construction completion of NPP “Busher” in Iran was signed, according to which the construction of the power plant should be performed by Russian specialists as ready-to-operate.  All these works became the responsibility of the company and its partners.   Besides, in 2002 “Atomstroyexport” signed the contract with the Indian Corporation for nuclear power for implementation of the NPP “Kudankulam” Project. 

Simultaneous execution of three contracts concluded in accordance with intergovernmental arrangements signed in the soviet times was coupled with a number of complications which were overcome consistently and purposefully.  Their implementation coincided with the slack period in the nuclear industry, but eventually specifically these foreign projects kept up the Russian nuclear industry enterprises, helped them to preserve and increase the existing potential, and get ready for implementing the large-scale program of nuclear industry development in Russia.   

Thus, during the first ten years “Atomstroyexport” built the powerful base for further creation of the company’s reputation and step-by-step onward progress.   

Breakthrough to European Market

In 2005 a new period in the company’s development started together with the new management coming.  First of all, the management system was renovated.  “Atomstroyexport” was to take part in the tender for constructing NPP “Belene” in Bulgaria, which meant announcing itself as a company having entered the struggle for new orders in conditions of the nuclear industry renaissance and aggravated competition.  Due to setting new goals the management of CJSC “Atomstroyexport” was to change the established stereotypes in management, make the information policy of the company transparent, and the financial system – more progressive and up-to-date.  Since 2005, the company has started active implementation of new elements of the modern management system.   

On October, 31, 2006 the National Electrical Company (NEC) of the Republic of Bulgaria officially announced CJSC “Atomstroyexport” (ASE) as the winning bidder for NPP “Belene” construction according to the Russian Project NPP-92 with two power plant units PWR-1000/V-466. Having won the tender, “Atomstroyexport” once again cleared the way to Europe for Russian nuclear technologies.

The Preliminary Agreement on the project implementation was signed in 2006, and signing the Contract Agreement between CJSC “Atomstroyexport” and the National Electrical Company (NEC) of Bulgaria for NPP “Belene” construction took place on January, 18, 2008 within the frame of the official visit of the Russian President V.V.Putin to Bulgaria. 

Now NPP “Belene” is the most large-scale project of the Russian-Bulgarian cooperation, wherein “Atomstroyexport” implements the renovated format of interaction with European companies.   For instance, along with participation of many Russian enterprises and organizations, the main foreign partner involved in the project is  German-French consortium CARSIB (Areva NP, Siemens). It is also supposed to involve Czech enterprises.  The share of Bulgarian enterprises participating in the project is 30%. 

In order to raise funds for financing the CJSC ASE projects abroad, “Atomstroyexport” undertook an unprecedented step in the history of Russian nuclear industry development – it bonded and listed the loan stock in amount of 1.5 billion rubles at the stock exchange thus revealing the information about its financial values.   Having used the public instruments of financial market in its activities, “Atomstroyexport” announced itself as a transparent and open company with up-to-date management system which is a very important factor for successful implementation of projects of NPP construction abroad.   This step was highly appreciated by partners, competitors and potential clients.   

Tianwan Victory 

“Atomstroyexport” has approached its anniversary having experienced joy of the most important victory it has been striving for during ten years:  in 2007 Tianwan NPP was commissioned for to revenue service.  China greeted the powerful, modern and safe nuclear power plant built on the shore of the Yellow Sea according to the Russian design with superb fireworks in Lianyungang.  The new generation plant embodied in metal and concrete has accumulated the most up-to-date Russian technologies and experience of constructing and operating of all the NPPs constructed by Russian specialists before. 

Tianwan NPP has given “Atomstroyexport” company an enormous advantage in further market struggle:  references. According to the Framework Agreement signed in 2007 between CJSC “Atomstroyexport” and Jiangsu Nuclear Power Corporation, it is planned to construct two more similar power plant units with capacity of 1000 MW each during construction of the second order of Tianwan NPP. 

According to opinion of many experts, TNPP has become the best plant in China and one of the safest in the world.  It differs from other nuclear power plants which have been built in China before, in several positions. It is one of the first NPPs in the world referring to new generation NPPs. It is the first NPP in the world, the power plant units of which are equipped with molten core catcher.  It is the first NPP in China equipped with full-function digital monitoring and control system providing up to 94% of automation of manufacturing systems control processes.  And finally, it is the most powerful NPP in China – 1060 MW of electrical power at each power unit.   

The fact that the Chinese Party has decided to construct two identical units on TNPP site testifies first of all to the high degree of trust to Russian nuclear technologies and the management company – CJSC “Atomstroyexport”.  But the main result of successful implementation of Tianwan NPP is that due to the new order for two further units Russian enterprises will be able to demonstrate their abilities in implementing the projects of serial construction.  Construction of the second order of TNPP will lead to development of large-scale equipment production for this project by Russian industry which will enable to promote the project and propse it for implementation in other markets. 

Each Step Is Well Thought Out

Entrance to the market of nuclear power technologies as one of the main players requires constant activity of the company. 

Nowadays “Atomstroyexport”, like its competitors, tracks the situation in the power market attentively and holds negotiations concerning possibilities and perspectives of cooperation in 20 countries of the world.  At the same time strategic alliances with leading Russian and foreign companies are being created. 

Last year “Atomstroyexport” was consistently implementing its strategy for strengthening positions of Russian nuclear technologies suppliers on the markets of Central and Eastern Europe.  Memorandum was signed with the Czech JSC “ALTA” concerning creation of the Russian-Czech cooperation management enterprise on the territory of the Czech republic in the sphere of engineering, equipment production and financing.  An agreement has been concluded with the Hungarian NPP “Paksh” concerning cooperation in solving the problems of safety level improvement and reliable operation of the power plant, modernizing power units 1-4 with introduction of new technical solutions, tested at the Russian NPPs. 

Documents concerning cooperation development and foundation of strategic alliances contributing to implementation of innovative solutions in management of NPP construction projects and increasing the efficiency of their implementation, have been signed with CJSC “INTER RAO Unified Energy System of Russia”, PVO “Almaz-Antei”, OJSC “Stroytransgaz”.  Cooperation management enterprise for construction and management of power objects abroad and in Russia is being created with “Tekhnopromexport”.  All these and other lines of cooperation are being worked out and developed at present. 

Noting the higher demand for nuclear power plants with low and medium capacity reactors in the world market, “Atomstroyexport” conducts work for promotion of the new Russian NPP project with PWR-640.  Besides, the Russian-Kazakh joint venture for designing reactors ÂÁÝÐ-300 and promoting them to the world market has been already created.  They will be mostly demanded by states of Latin America and Africa, as low capacity NPPs can be used both for electric power production and water desalination.  The first NPP with ÂÁÝÐ-300 is planned to be constructed in Kazakhstan.  

All the initiatives of CJSC “Atomstroyexport” are the result of the common strategic policy aimed at strengthening positions of the national nuclear manufacturing engineering in the world market.   The first ten years of the company’s work have proved that the right course was selected.

Magazine “Vestnik Atomproma”
(“Nuclear Industry Bulletin”), No 3, March, 2008