Likhachev announced support for ASEAN countries' cooperation in the field of peaceful atom

At the Russia—ASEAN summit in Kazan, cooperation in the field of peaceful atom received the common platform support of the entire integration association. Alexey Likhachev, head of the Rosatom state Corporation, told Izvestia on June 18.

"Nuclear energy has been included in the official agenda of not only Russian-ASEAN cooperation since today, but it is now also such a peculiar value for ASEAN. This is understandable because consumption is growing rapidly due to population growth, economic growth, and continued urbanization," he said.

Likhachev stressed that Russia has been effectively cooperating with a number of countries in this area for several decades. Since the 1980s, the Russian Federation has been helping Vietnam with the operation of a research reactor, its maintenance and fuel supplies, as well as the training of nuclear specialists. On the basis of this knowledge, the Ninh Thuan-1 NPP project was born, which is critically important for the development of the entire economy of Vietnam.

"Everyone wants to replicate this example. We have also signed agreements with Laos, entered into large intergovernmental agreements with Cambodia and Indonesia, which provided us with commercial partners for the development of a fleet of floating nuclear power plants," Likhachev explained.

In addition, Russia is at the stage of practical discussions on a floating nuclear power plant project with Malaysia, and an onshore small nuclear power plant is planned to be built in Myanmar.

Peaceful Atom: Russia expands energy presence in Asia

The Russian Federation is actively promoting nuclear energy in the region

Yesterday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Russia and the ASEAN countries have accumulated significant experience of cooperation over the years and have created the basis for further development of relations. He named peaceful atom, transport and logistics as promising areas, while the implementation of digital solutions based on artificial intelligence, the development of digital platforms, ensuring energy and food security, and technology exchange remain among the relevant areas.

On June 15, Russia and Laos signed an intergovernmental agreement on cooperation in the field of peaceful atom. The head of Rosatom added that of all the areas of cooperation with Laos, the project for the deployment of small onshore nuclear power using RITM-200 reactors is of the greatest interest.