OREANDA-NEWS. September 07, 2012. Dmitry Medvedev, Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, signed a decree on  negotiating an agreement between The Federal Service for Ecological, Technological and Atomic Supervision (Russian Federation) and the National Authority of Nuclear and Radiation Safety Regulation (the Republic of South Africa).

Subsequently, the parties are planning to sign an agreement on cooperation in the field of  nuclear and radiation safety control in  terms of peaceful use of nuclear energy.

Signing the agreement will form a basis for the necessary legal framework to develop  Russian-South African cooperation in the field of nuclear safety, the provision of which is an absolute priority for the Russian nuclear industry. Thus, the Russian Federation, which has significant experience in improvement of the nuclear power engineering infrastructure, has shown a readiness to provide appropriate comprehensive assistance to partner countries.

Currently, the Republic of South Africa has one nuclear power plant "Koeberg" of 1800 MW capacity.

The State Atomic Energy Corporation ROSATOM assigns high priority to the development of cooperation with the South African nuclear industry and plans to participate in the tender for the construction of NPPs of 9.6 GW total capacity.

In order to enhance the relationship Rusatom Overseas JSC (acts as an integrator of ROSATOM's complex solutions in nuclear energy) joined  the Nuclear Industry Association of South Africa (NIASA) as  a member-sponsor in March 2012. And in June 2012, a Memorandum of Understanding between Rusatom Overseas JSC and the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (NECSA) was signed. Pursuant to the document, the parties will start elaboration of joint business projects in such areas as isotope production and marketing, nuclear fuel fabrication, and the manufacture of energy equipment.

Rusatom Overseas JSC, a subsidiary of the State Atomic Energy Corporation ROSATOM, was founded in 2011 with a goal to promote Russian nuclear technology on the global market. Rusatom Overseas acts as an integrator of ROSATOM's complex solutions in nuclear engineering, manages the promotion of the integrated offer and the development of Russian nuclear business abroad, as well as  establishes a worldwide network of ROSATOM marketing offices. Rusatom Overseas also acts as a developer of ROSATOM's overseas projects, which are implemented on the  build-own-operate (BOO) basis.