He informed about 12% gain in industrial production and 4.5% increase of the annual capacity factor what is equal to one 1000 MW reactor’s operation during one year.

Rumyantsev promised to reorganize accurately Minatom into the Federal agency during two months, and reduce the staff for 100 employees in the Moscow office. As a result of the administrative reform the Federal Atomic Agency will remain the state client in the field of nuclear arms. “Do not doubt about our nuclear force and the strength of the companies designing nuclear weapons and ammunition” the head of the Atomic Agency assured. All the international agreements and contracts with all the countries about cooperation “remain in force and are not a subject for revision”. However, the Russian Ministry of Industry and Energy will sign all such agreements in the future, but the Nuclear Agency will fulfill them.

Regarding international cooperation the Minatom received $688m from the USA according to the HEU-LEU agreement. The sales of fresh nuclear fuel increased for 24.8% in comparison with 2002. The contracts for fuel deliveries were signed and renewed with Slovakia, Hungary, India, and Ukraine. Rumyantsev confirmed the intention to continue and develop cooperation with “strategic partner” Iran as the latter “shows peaceful intentions in the nuclear field”. The export growth was $400m and reached $3 billion in 2003.

Minatom continued to participate in dismantling of the nuclear submarines: unloaded nuclear fuel from 12 retired submarines and scrapped 13 submarines. Minatom spent total $71.8m from the Russian federal budget and $21m of the foreign aid in 2003 for the nuclear submarines’ dismantling. The nuclear plants generated 148.6 billion KW/h (6.3% increase) what is 16% higher then maximum production of the Russian nuclear plants in the Soviet time.

“We are ready to fulfill any task assigned by the President and the government” assured the head of the Atomic Agency, Alexander Rumyantsev, at the press-conference.