OREANDA-NEWS. January 28, 2009. Deputy Director of Atomenergoprom OJSC, Director General of Energoatom Concern OJSC Sergey Obozov and new Chairman of the World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO) Laurent Stricker had a meeting in Moscow Jan 27 2009.

Stricker said that the objective of his visit to Moscow was, first of all, to thank all those people who had elected him as well as to exchange views with the most important energy executives concerning joint efforts to improve the work of WANO-member operators and WANO, in general.

Stricker thanked the managers of Energoatom Concern for their constant support of WANO’s activities.

Obozov and Stricker discussed the current state of affairs in their organizations as well as their development strategies and prospects of cooperation. Special attention was paid to problems of safety. Stricker was glad to know that no single above “0” INES event has been registered at the Russian nuclear power plants in the last five years and that the malefaction rate at the plants is stably low.

Stricker said that WANO might play a very important role in the “global nuclear renaissance” by giving countries planning to build new nuclear power plants access to invaluable experience of safe and efficient operation. The companies having sufficient experience in this field will certainly share it with those who are just starting to develop nuclear energy.

As regards the prospects for implementing new programs, Stricker believes that for the moment it was important to make the best of the existing programs as they cover lots of different fields. Safety is WANO’s top priority but safety is not only technology – it is also organization, culture, exchange of information. These problems must be discussed with operating personnel on a regular basis as each employee is personally responsible for general safety.
 
The parties have agreed that during the meeting of the managers of the biggest nuclear operators in Feb 2009 Energoatom Concern will be represented by First Deputy Director General Vladimir Asmolov.

The WANO delegation was represented by Managing Director Lukas Mampaey, Chairman of WANO Moscow Center Governors Board Ales John and Director of WANO MC Mikhail Chudakov, the delegation of Energoatom Concern – by deputy directors general Dmitry Tveritinov and Yuri Kopyev, Head of International Activities Department Anatoly Kirichenko and Head of Information and PR Center Ashot Nasibov.