OREANDA-NEWS. May 22, 2009. International scientific-technical conference “Nuclear Productions. Public Opinion. Safety.” took place in Tomsk May 19–21 2009. Representatives of Rosatom State Nuclear Energy Corporation, Atomenergoprom OJSC, the public information centers of the branches of Energoatom concern OJSC, the Embassy and the Commission of Atomic Energy of France (Commissariat а l’йnergie atomique), Areva and EDF took part in the conference.

Head of the Department for Contacts with Regions and Public Organizations of Rosatom State Nuclear Energy Corporation Igor Konyshev explained such a choice of foreign participants: “The French were the first to start to systematically inform their population about the work of nuclear power plants. They have worked in this direction since 1981.”

The pivotal topic of the conference was the task formulated by the organizers: public acceptability, safety and efficiency. The Russian participants shared their experience of cooperation with authorities, public and mass media in the regions hosting and to host nuclear companies.

The guests presented the nuclear legislation of France, the Global Partnership Program and the forms of work with the population, including large-scale national debates on energy-related problems. 

Communication Director of Areva Michel Jamard said that the openness the Russians showed in their PR policy resembled the methods applied in France.

The public opinion polls held in 2007–2009 have shown that openness is giving tangible results. While analyzing the change in the public attitude to nuclear energy Andrey Timonov, the head of the Special Projects Division of the PR and Mass Media Department of Atomenergoprom OJSC said: “The percentage of supporters of nuclear energy in Russia is steadily growing: from 11% in 2006 to 28% in 2008.”

The same day I.Konishev and S.Tochilin, the vice governor of Tomsk region, held two press conferences at Interfax and Ekho Moskvy. The key topic was the construction of Seversk Nuclear Power Plant. Konyshev said that Rosatom was ready to start the construction as soon as it was possible in terms of economy. “As of now the authorities of Tomsk region and Rosatom have done all they were supposed to do for obtaining the license,” he said.

The organizers of International scientific-technical conference “Nuclear Productions. Public Opinion. Safety.” were Rosatom State Nuclear Energy Corporation, Atomenergoprom OJSC, Energoatom Concern OJSC and the Administration of Tomsk region.