Civil nuclear energy in Russia – UK Trade and Investment

22 October 2013

Article posted by UKTI Digital, for UK Trade & Investment

http://opentoexport.com/article/civil-nuclear-energy-in-russia/

ROSATOM currently runs projects in 13 countries with a global pipeline of potential projects. There is a Memorandum of Understanding in place aiming to establish commercial cooperation between Rosatom and DECC UK.

Market overview

Russian nuclear industry is one of the world’s leaders in terms of level of scientific and technological developments in the area of reactor design, nuclear fuel, experience of nuclear power plant operation, NPP personnel qualification.

Its complex consists of over 250 enterprises and organizations employing over 250 thousand people.

Nuclear industry structure:

Companies in nuclear fuel cycle
Companies in nuclear power engineering
Companies in the sector of nuclear weapons application
Research institutes

State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom consolidates the enterprises mentioned above. It is the only company in the world that has a complete nuclear power cycle. Its daughter company – JSC Atomenergoprom consolidates the civilian part of the nuclear industry.

At present Russia operates 31 nuclear power reactors in 10 plants, which provide 16% of the country’s electricity and 17% of the world nuclear fuel.

As of beginning of 2013 Rosatom has orders for 80 units for the projects that include construction of nuclear plants in Armenia, Bangladesh, Belarus, Bulgaria, India, Iran, China, Kazakhstan, Russian Federation (10 units under construction , another 14 units operational by 2020), Slovakia, Turkey, Ukraine, Vietnam (source: (www.rosatom.ru).

Above all, there are 154 reactors with 173 GW ordered or planned (mostly expected in operation in 8-10 years) (source: www.rosatom.ru). Additional 341 reactors with 390 GW are proposed (expected operation in 15 years) (www.rosatom.ru)

Rosatom Reactors – distribution by geographical areas (source: www.rosatom.ru):

NAFTA: USA – 4 being built, 10 planned/ordered, 32 proposed
South America: 2 being built2 planned/ordered, 9proposed
Rest of Europe: 2 being built, 5 planned/ordered, 26 proposed
Eastern Europe: 2 being built, 17 planned/ordered, 28 proposed
Middle East: 12 planned/ordered, 17 proposed
Russia& non-EE CIS: 10 being built, 17 planned/ordered, 32 proposed
East Asia(excl. China): 7 being built, 16 planned/ordered, 6 proposed
China: 27 being built, 51planned/ordered, 120proposed
SE Asia: 2 being built, 2planned/ordered, 23proposed
Indian subcontinent: 7 being built, 20 planned/ordered, 42 proposed
RSA: South Africa – 6 proposed

Since a long time ago Rosatom has expressed particular interest in perspectives to build NPP in UK, where 8 sites have been finally approved as suitable for new build (www.world-nuclear-news.org).

In September 2013 a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Russian state atomic energy corporation Rosatom and DECC in the UK. This established a programme of commercial cooperation in civil nuclear energy and was signed by UK Energy Minister Michael Fallon and Rosatom Head Sergei Kiriyenko. It supports cooperation between Rosatom (Russia), Fortum (Finland) and Rolls-Royce (UK) in the process of investigation and implementation of projects to construct Russian-designed VVER pressurized water reactors in the UK. (source: www.gov.uk)

Moreover, in September 2013 Rolls-Royce (UK) signed a business contract with Rosatom to handle engineering and safety evaluation functions on Rosatom’s VVER technology ahead of its potential entry in the Generic Design Assessment process. (source: www.gov.uk)

As a result, UK became one of the most favourable markets for establishment of business relations and outsourcing of Russian nuclear sector.

There are several UK companies that are already active in the Russian Nuclear Energy Sector: Rolls-Royce, Doosan Babcock, ClydeUnion, Norton Rose, Sheffield Forgemasters and Worley Parsons.

Fuel Cycle and Regulatory sub-sector

According to Rosatom, it is the smallest market (reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel and the production of secondary fuel) – around $3 billion. However, that market is expected to triple in size to $9 billion by 2030.

Fuel Enrichment and Fabrication sub-sector

The enrichment complex is one of the priorities of the Russian nuclear complex and will remain significant for Russia’s economy. Rosatom stated, “the solid fuel for fast reactors and closed nuclear fuel cycle are becoming very important promising trends in the activities of the corporation.”

Key opportunities

The main opportunity for UK companies lies with the work being carried out in third countries.

Key areas for potential cooperation are:

Power generation equipment and components
Metallurgy (castings and forgings)
Engineering and construction
Financial services

Opportunities for UK companies in Fuel Enrichment and Fabrication:

Programme management and technical support
Design and architectural support
Legal advice and financial consultancy
Equipment supplies (gaseous centrifuges and auxiliary equipment for uranium isotopes separation)
Solutions on reducing radioactive waste

Opportunities for UK companies in Fuel Cycle and Regulatory:

Technology for recycling recovered uranium and plutonium into fresh fuel
Uranium enrichment technologies
Opportunities on the ICT side

Opportunities for UK companies in other sub-sectors:

Architectural design
Planning and environmental consultancy
Safety consultancy

Latest export opportunities in the Power sector

Latest export opportunities in the Renewable Energy sector

Latest export opportunities in Russia

Getting into the market

Rosatom has developed a comprehensive procurement procedure to expand the range of suppliers and create equal rights in competition.

If a UK company wants to participate in Rosatom’s procurement programme, it needs to have a local presence in Russia, via own office or partner. In order to meet demands of this comprehensive programme, a close cooperation of Rosatom, overseas suppliers and external advisors will be required.

All procurement procedures are held via state tenders.

More about doing business in Russia

Contacts

Market intelligence is critical when doing business overseas, and UKTI can provide bespoke market research and support during overseas visits through our chargeable Overseas Market Introduction Service (OMIS).

To commission research or for general advice about the market, get in touch with our specialists in country – or contact your local international trade team.

Yelena Alexeeva, British Embassy, UKTI Russia, Moscow. Tel: +7 495 956 7320 or email: yelena.alexeeva@fco.gov.uk
Olga Makarchuk, British Consulate-General, UKTI Russia, Saint Petersburg. Tel: +7 (812) 320 3223 or email: olga.makarchuk@fco.gov.uk

Contact your local international trade team

UKTI Events

UKTI runs a range of events for exporters, including seminars in the UK, trade missions to overseas markets and support for attendance at overseas trade shows.

Latest events in the Power sector

Latest events in the Renewable Energy sector

Major Events

International Forum Atomexpo

Please check the website for dates

http://atomexpo.com/en

Russian Nuclear Mission

Date: 17-21 March, 2013, Moscow

Contact: Bob Bish, Head of Conventional Power & Civil Nuclear, Strategic Trade Group, UKTI, London. Tel: +44 (0)20 7215 4639 or email: bob.bish@ukti.gsi.gov.uk