Alexander Lokshin, Rosenergoatom acting general director, said the corporation intended to implement joint projects beyond the framework of the federal targeted program aimed at developing the Russian nuclear power industry.
"With RusAl, the most attractive project is completing the construction of the fifth and sixth power units of the Balakovo NPP [in the Saratov Region in the south of European Russia] because guaranteed electricity supplies rather than electricity prices are the most important factor for aluminum producers," Lokshin said.
Lokshin said Rosenergoatom and RusAl had set up a working group to draft concrete proposals for the project.
The executive said Rosenergoatom was also holding negotiations with Gazprom on the construction of nuclear power plants of a maximum capacity of 500 MW.
"It is economically more advantageous for the gas industry to build nuclear power plants instead of burning gas for transportation and liquefying," he said.
Rosenergoatom, which operates all of Russia's ten nuclear power plants with a total capacity of 23,242 MW, has acquired equipment in Bulgaria to complete the building of a fourth power unit at the Kalinin NPP in the Tver Region in central Russia, Lokshin said.
The equipment was being stored at the construction site of the Belene nuclear plant being built by Russia's nuclear equipment export monopoly Atomstroyexport, Lokshin said.
"The equipment at the Belene NPP is in excellent condition and we shall certainly use it," Lokshin said.
The Rosenergoatom official said the price of the Bulgarian equipment was 20-25% lower than that of new nuclear components available from Russian producers.
Lokshin also said Rosenergoatom expected its net profit to rise 140%, year on year, to 6 billion rubles (about $243 million) in 2007.
