ROSATOM took part in the World Nuclear Exhibition (WNE), which took place from 30 November to 2 December 2021 in Paris, France.
The members of ROSATOM’s delegation had an event-filled schedule. Its head, ROSATOM Director General Alexey Likhachev, participated in a panel titled “Will nuclear take on the global challenges?”
Likhachev said: “Experts from Russia, France, the UN, and other countries agree that the joint emissions over the life cycle of a nuclear power plant are either on par with wind power units or even lower. Many already consider nuclear energy as an integral part of the transition and decarbonisation. You don’t need to be a genius to understand that the demand for nuclear power will grow.”
ROSATOM’s stand became the site of business meetings and signature ceremonies for agreements to strengthen cooperation and develop existing business relations. ROSATOM, The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA), and EDF group signed a joint declaration of intent to develop their long-term R&D collaboration in the field of civil nuclear power. ROSATOM also signed an agreement with Framatome, while ROSATOM-subsidiary TVEL Fuel Company signed agreements with France’s ROBATEL Industries and D&S Groupe.
A seminar organised by ROSATOM, “Industrial readiness and approaches to practical closing of nuclear fuel cycle”, attracted a lot of attention among exhibition attendees. During the seminar, representatives from EDF, TVEL, Orano and TENEX discussed existing enterprises that focus on reprocessing spent fuel, fractionation of high-level waste, uranium-plutonium fuel fabrication and the reactors that operate on this fuel. Using concrete examples, the seminar demonstrated that the closed nuclear fuel cycle is already a reality. It also highlighted how, in terms of careful use of natural resources and environmental safety, the nuclear industry can rightfully be classified as a sustainable source of energy.
Represented by its Corporate Academy, ROSATOM won the WNE Awards 2021 in the Skills and Knowledge Management Innovation category for its “Rosatom for Rosatom” project. “We are very pleased to be recognised by the judges and the international community. It is a great honour to have made the top three while competing against the strongest projects in the industry. At Rosatom, we are actively developing a culture of continuous knowledge and creating tools that allow employees to share knowledge in an efficient and engaging way. And we are especially pleased when these efforts are so highly appraised at the international level. I would like to thank the entire ROSATOM team for both its contribution to this project and to the development of the nuclear industry,” said Yulia Uzhakina, Director General of Rosatom Corporate Academy.
Notes to the editor:
The World Nuclear Exhibition (WNE) is one of the largest nuclear industry events, serving to highlight its achievements and bring together key market players. WNE 2021 welcomed more than 700 company representatives from 65 countries. The WNE Awards are presented in the framework of the World Nuclear Exhibition. In 2021, 137 projects from 84 nuclear industry companies operating in France, Russia, Great Britain, Germany, the United States, Canada, and other countries, were nominated for awards in four categories: Operational Excellence, Skills and Knowledge Management, Products and Services, and Nuclear Safety. Four judges – all leading experts in the industry – were tasked with selecting winners from amongst the nominees.
The “Rosatom for Rosatom” project is intended to make possible a constant exchange of knowledge between company employees. As part of the project, anyone in the industry who is well versed in any relevant field, from public speaking to industrial safety, from digitalisation to intellectual property management, can share knowledge with colleagues. Under the guidance of mentors from Rosatom Corporate Academy, the person in question temporarily becomes an instructor or tutor, conducting seminars and webinars and recording training videos and podcasts.