Russia actively preparing for NPP building in Egypt, Jordan

Keiv, Feb 10 (Itar-Tass) Russia is actively working withthe aim to participate in the construction of nuclear powerplants in Egypt, Jordan, Bangladesh and other countries, firstVice President of Atomstroiexport Alexander Dybov said.

Dybov told Itar-Tass after signing a contract withUkraine''s Energoatom on designing reactors for the third andfourth units of the Khmelnitsky nuclear power plant.

"We will of course participate in the tenders," the topmanager said.

At the same time, he did not rule out that the politicalsituation in Egypt could affect plans for the construction ofnuclear power plants.

Dybov added, that Atomstroiexport has a serious portfolioof orders, including in India, China and Bulgaria. He deniedthe rumours about Russia'' s withdrawal from the project of theconstruction of the Belene nuclear power plant.

"The company doe not withdraw from the project, there areabsolutely no grounds for that," the first vice presidentemphasised.

"The Bulgarian project continues, the process goes on,and we manage it," he pointed out.

Atomstroiexport is the Russian Federation''s nuclear powerequipment and service export monopoly. It belongs toAtomenergoprom holding with 49.8 per cent of shares owned byGazprombank. The CEO of Atomstroiexport is Sergei Shmatko.

The Russian nuclear vendor is building the first reactorpower unit in Iranian Bushehr nuclear power plant located 400kilometres (250 mi) southwest of Tehran under a USD 1 billioncontract signed in 1995.

In 2007, Atomstroiexport signed a memorandum ofunderstanding with Ciner Insaat Ticaret ve Sanayi to promoteits VVER-design pressurized water reactors in Turkey. InBangladesh, proposals have been prepared to resurrect thepotential Roppur nuclear power plant.

In Morocco, Atomstroiexport considers participation inthe construction of a nuclear power plant at Sidi Boulbra.

(Itar-Tass)