The anniversary forum ATOMEXPO 2018 organised by ROSATOM concluded last week in Sochi, Russia.
The 2018 edition of the Expo registered the record number of participant countries – 68 (65 in 2017, 55 in 2016, and 48 in 2015). Congo and Georgia were participating in the Forum for the first time. The Expo was organized in more than 20,000 square meters as compared to 12,000 square meters in 2017. The number of exhibitor-companies grew to 136 from 120 last year.
The total number of the participating companies was more than 600. African continent was represented by delegations from Nigeria, Congo, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, Uganda, and Zambia.
In a statement, the organizers averred that the success of ATOMEXPO 2018 can be gauged from the fact that 39 agreements and other cooperation and partnership-making documents, including commercial contracts, were inked during the Forum. Most important agreements are the interagency agreements with the Republic of Sudan (the Memorandum on the Staff Training; the Memorandum of Forming Positive Public Opinion about Atomic Energy in the Republic of Sudan; Cuba (the Memorandum of Mutual Understanding of Strategic Partnership in Development and Application of Irradiation Technologies) and Chile (the Memorandum of Mutual Understanding and Cooperation in Personnel Training and Education). A document outlining the Principles of the Russian-Serbian cooperation in the field of innovations and technological development associated with the peaceful uses of atomic energy was signed. The contract for design, supply and construction of the Center of Nuclear Science and technology in the Republic of Zambia and agreements to create irradiation centers in Brazil, Malaysia and Philippines were also signed.
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin sent his greetings to the ATOMEXPO participants. Addressing the Forum, First Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration of the Russian Federation and Chairman of the ROSATOM Supervisory Board Mr. Sergei Kirienko applauded the Forum’s role in uniting the heads of large companies, governmental structures, non-governmental organizations, leading experts from Russia and other states to discuss the topical issues of nuclear sector at a professional level. “In the current conditions, the development of the world economy and maintaining the natural balance of our planet hinges on affording access to stable and environment-friendly sources of energy. Our country is traditionally one of the leaders in the field of development of nuclear power, construction and operation of NPP infrastructure, and fundamental and applied studies. This potential needs to be strengthened based, among other, on the broad international cooperation,” Mr. Kirienko said.
The plenary session was attended by the Heads of leading sectoral organizations – International Atomic Energy Association’s Director General, Yukiya Amano, President of the World Nuclear Association Agneta Rising, President of the World Association of Nuclear Operators, Jacques Regaldo, and Director-General of Nuclear Energy Agency of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development William Magwood. The discussion participants touched upon topics that are critical for nuclear sector and outlined common issues pertaining to the entire nuclear community.
Director General of ROSATOM, Alexei Likhachev observed that today more countries are veering to develop nuclear power. “New growth centres want to enable themselves with access to nuclear power in a fast, high quality and economically attractive manner”. This, he said, provides a ground for cooperation in commercial nuclear projects; and in applied and fundamental science. “It is not mere chance that the theme of the Forum this year is: ‘Global Partnership – Joint Success’. Alliances are not only possible, they are necessary for finding mutually beneficial solutions,” he added.
The three-day Forum revolved around three broad topics – Digital Future and Industry 4.0, New Power Engineering and People of Nuclear Industry. Sixteen round-table sessions had conversations around ‘Globalization as a Key Success Factor: Building NPPs in a Partnership Arrangement’, ‘Building Capacity in Countries Embarking on or Expanding Their Nuclear Power Programmes’, ‘Total cost and time management of NPP construction projects: constituents of success in international projects’. A separate round-table session was on new opportunities for Russia in the wind power sector.
For the first time, the ATOMEXPO received on its ground the III Russia-IAEA Nuclear Management School for Managers in Nuclear Organizations. IAEA Director General, Yukiya Amano took part in its inauguration.
The first “ATOMEXPO AWARDS” were also given away during the 2018 expo. The international professional awards were given for contributing greatly to the development of nuclear industry and the use of atomic energy for the benefit of mankind. The prize winners have become: in the nomination “Nuclear technologies for quality of life improving” – the project “Molybdenum-99 production conversion” of NTP Radioisotopes (SAR); in the nomination “Innovations for the Future” – the project of innovative information control system of Dassault Systems; in the nomination “Human capital development” – the project of Tecnatom (Spain) “Education with heart”; in the nomination “The Best Launch” – the construction project of Belarus NPP; in the nomination “Public acceptance” – the project “Atom on wheels in India” implemented by Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL).
