Rosatom sees exports jump in 2012
Russian state nuclear enterprise Rosatom reported an increase of almost 31% in export orders in 2012. The corporation's long-term strategy aims to significantly increase foreign orders by 2030.
In its annual report for 2012, Rosatom said that its portfolio of foreign orders was worth a total $66.5 billion, up 30.7% compared with the previous year. It aims to increase these orders to $72 billion in 2013.
Rosatom's long-term strategy, approved by its board in late 2011, calls for foreign operations to account for half of its business by 2030. It aims to hold at least one-third of the global enrichment services market by then, as well as 5% of the market for pressurized water reactor (PWR) fuel.
The corporation said that it is "actively strengthening its position abroad for the construction of nuclear power plants." Rosatom had a portfolio of export orders for 19 nuclear power reactors in 2012, but aims to have orders for the construction of some 30 power reactors outside of Russia by 2030.
Rosatom's uranium production increased 7% in 2012 to 7600 tonnes, accounting for about 13% of total world output, according to Rosatom's report. The company also met some 45% of world demand for enrichment services in 2012, as well as 17% of fabricated fuel requirement. Rosatom supplied fuel to 67 power reactors last year, 33 in Russia and 34 abroad. Almost all of these reactors were of Russian design.
Electricity generation by Russia's nuclear power plants reached a record 177.3 TWh in 2012, up from 172.7 TWh in 2011. However the capacity factor of its reactors declined slightly from 81.2% in 2011 to 80.9% in 2012. Rosatom said that it aims to have 60 GWe of nuclear generating capacity in Russia by 2030, up from the current 24 GWe.
Rosatom said that revenues in 2012 grew just over 2% to RUB 473.8 billion ($14.4 billion), while pre-tax earnings dropped almost 12% to RUB 140.8 billion ($4.3 billion).
Rosatom head Sergei Kiriyenko noted, "The analysis of the global nuclear power industry in 2012 shows that the 'Fukushima syndrome' as a whole has been overcome, and most countries will continue to support and expand the use of nuclear power."
Chairman of Rosatom's supervisory board Boris Gryzlov added, "Russian nuclear workers have achieved excellent results: a significantly expanded portfolio of foreign orders, generation of a record amount of electricity, starting promising new projects within the country and abroad, and successfully implementing a program of construction of new nuclear facilities within Russia."
Researched and written
by World Nuclear News
