TVEL: The Russian side expects from its Armenian partners greater interaction, both in the professional sphere and in the interpenetration of cultures

ArmInfo. The 61st General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), concluded a few days ago, in its final document drew the attention of IAEA participants to the need to transfer knowledge in the field of nuclear energy from generation to generation. The issue is not idle, especially for Armenia, from the point of view of the country's future nuclear power, which intends to actively develop this type of generation. Meanwhile, the current generation of specialists is approaching its critical age, and it takes 15 years to train young cadres, including the duration of studies in higher educational institutions.

Conducted on September 25 in Yerevan State University two events organized by the Fuel Company "Rosatom" TVEL "can be rightfully attributed to a number of training. During the lecture on Russian- Armenian cooperation in the field of nuclear energy, as well as the opening of the TVEL exhibition as an art of creating energy, the students and the faculty of the faculty of physics of the YSU were thoroughly presented the experience of the Fuel Company in the process of its formation, cooperation with the Armenian nuclear power plant, as well as measures to improve the educational capabilities of future specialists.

In his conversation with ArmInfo reporter the  vice-president of TVEL JSC for communications, management and energy efficiency Konstantin Sokolov noted that the transfer of knowledge from generation to generation originates from general education institutions. Over the years, young professionals have become professional and come to the level of highly qualified specialists in a particular field in which they are trained. In this regard, the representatives of TVEL company would like to talk within the framework of the visit to Armenia about the messages that were voiced at the IAEA conference on the interaction of the companies of the two states. "Last year, the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant celebrated its 40th anniversary, and we are very pleased that Russian and Armenian nuclear scientists have been fruitfully and mutually beneficial for more than 40 years for the benefit of the development of energy and industry of the two countries," said the Vice President of the Fuel Company . He added that there are no technological problems in the interactions between the two states, and today there is even an opportunity to come forward with a social, humanitarian and cultural mission.

Konstantin Sokolov particularly noted that the aim of today's events is to inculcate not only the foundations of professional knowledge in the field of nuclear energy for young people, but also the popularization of nuclear energy and industry of the two states.

"In carrying out the social mission, we would like to point out the aesthetic component as well." In this context, we draw cultural parallels when our products, which are the fruit of the genius of leading scientists and designers, technologists, are identical to those made by geniuses in the fields of architecture, painting, sculpture.We know how talented the Armenian people are, and how many sons and daughters of your people have presented their genius to the whole of humanity.This parallel in the field of nuclear energy and industry is a certain connection of technologies and culture, which seems to us quite important, "said the vice-president of TVEL, adding that this connection, especially in children's minds, creates the imagination of that cultural aesthetic that then encourages them to acquire further knowledge. "We very much hope that later they will join our ranks,  which is very important, since we care not to whom we will transfer the future of the nuclear energy of the two countries and our love for our native profession," Konstantin Sokolov stressed.  Continuing the theme of education in the field of nuclear energy of Armenia, Vice President of the Fuel Company pointed out the importance of its propaganda among the youth, and today's event is part of this campaign. "Our project can provide effective assistance to the development of mutual penetration in the field of education, since Bauman Moscow State Technical University and MIFI are ready to receive Armenian students for the time being within the limits of the established free quotas for 10. But the future is undoubtedly in development, in cooperation between countries, which I am sure will continue to strengthen and develop, "Konstantin Sokolov said, adding that the Russian side expects more interaction and penetration both in the professional sphere and in the interpenetration of cultures. 

Note that the mission of the Art and Industrial Exhibition "TVEL as the art of creating energy" - the art project of Fuel Company TVEL - is the disclosure of the aesthetic side of the process of production of nuclear fuel and the harmony of technology, personnel, equipment, tools and materials. The project uses masterpieces of world art to create unique visual associations between the nuclear fuel cycle and classical artistic images. During the exhibition, YSU students and representatives of the Fuel Company even managed to compete in chess produced by TVEL specialists from zirconium.

It should be noted that the working trip of the delegation of Fuel Company TVEL led by Vice-President Konstantin Sokolov to Yerevan will be  one step in the development of cooperation of  Rosatom State Corporation with Armenia in the scientific and educational sphere, which has been actively developing for several years. Among the Armenian schoolchildren and students there are presentations, lectures, olympiads, the winners of which are given the opportunity to continue their studies in Moscow in the Master's program of the National Research Nuclear University MEPhI.  The lecture conducted by the specialists of TVEL JSC in Yerevan State University with the participation of representatives of the leading manufacturing enterprises of the holding, acquainted the students with the subjects of production and operation of nuclear fuel, the supplies of which to the Armenian NPP are the basis of Russian-Armenian cooperation in the electric power industry. Besides, on the basis of the open communication platform "Mir-Mir" it is planned to create an international network student community with a mission to popularize the fundamental foundations and applied knowledge in the field of nuclear energy and industry. The first basic universities in the framework of this initiative will be the EHU and the International Institute of Energy Policy and Diplomacy of the Moscow State Institute of International Relations.

Earlier in an interview with ArmInfo  reporter Director General of Armenian NPP CJSC  Movses Vardanyan informed that the station has been successfully cooperating with TVEL for many years. "Last year, nuclear fuel was delivered for two full-time overloads in 2016 and 2017," Vardanyan said, adding that an agreement was reached on fuel supplies for the next two years - 2018 and 2019. "I note that, thanks to the agreements reached with TVEL, a fuel reserve has been formed, which we can use in case of force majeure, for example, caused by transportation of fuel across adjacent borders in conditions of political instability." TVEL is a reliable supplier fuel, always fulfilling the obligations on time. All the time of cooperation, there was not a single breakdown or failure in the supply of fuel elements to the Armenian nuclear power plant. "- said General Director of the station. He also highly appreciated the quality and reliability of Russian fuel. "There have never been any complaints about fuel of TVEL brand, neither our experts, nor foreign experts who visited the Armenian nuclear power plant with inspections, but in the future we plan to move he nuclear power plant to a 15-month fuel cycle, but this will not happen before the modernization is completed our nuclear power plant, "Movses Vardanyan said.  TVEL JSC  was established on September 12, 1996 in accordance with the Decree of the President of the Russian Federation, is a member of the State Corporation "Rosatom". Fuel company TVEL includes enterprises for fabricating nuclear fuel, converting and enriching uranium, producing gas centrifuges, as well as research and design organizations. It is the only supplier of nuclear fuel for Russian nuclear power plants. JSC TVEL provides nuclear power for 75 power reactors in 14 countries, research reactors, and transport reactors of the Russian nuclear fleet. Every sixth power reactor in the world operates on fuel manufactured by TVEL.