Sunday, April 2 2017 12:11

ArmInfo. On March 29 - 31, the Nuclear Africa 2017 conference was held in Johannesburg (South Africa). The Russian State Nuclear Energy Corporation Rosatom shared its best practices with participants of the conference and exhibition, which brought together representatives from key local and international stakeholders in the nuclear industry.

Thecompany presented its recent achievements in the construction of innovative nuclear power plants (NPPs) and research reactors, establishment of advanced research centers as well as its corporate social responsibility initiativesin South Africa.

Viktor Polikarpov, Rosatom Regional Vice-President for Sub-Saharan Africa, highlighted the company’s commitment to stimulating global research in the nuclear sphere. “Rosatom is committed to supporting its foreign partners in achieving their ambitions to further develop the nuclear industry for the peaceful purposes. Africa is experiencing significant and accelerating infrastructure development, industrialisation, economic growth,urbanization and increasing investment in education and science”.

Twenty-five of 54 nations have been declared to be in an energy crisis by the World Bank. Over 620-million people have no access to a reliable source of electricity in sub-Saharan Africa. The region will require 1 600 TWh of generating capacity by 2040, which is four times the amount possessed in 2010, if it is to achieve an electrification level of 70% to 80%.

Additional focus during the conference was given to education bursaries. Russian technical universities have hosted thousands of foreign students since 2010. In 2017 about60bursaries have been made available for young specialists from African countries.

Rosatomis the Russian state atomic energy corporation bringing together over 255 000 people in 350 enterprises and scientific institutions including all Russian civil nuclear companies, research organizations and the world’s only nuclear-propelled icebreaker fleet. With 70 years' expertise in the nuclear field, Rosatomremains its leader. Rosatomis #1 in the world simultaneously implementing projects of NPPs construction.