Last week, the 2nd immersive forum of interregional cooperation "Eurasian Gate" was held in Kostanay, Kazakhstan. The event, which was held on the basis of Kostanay branch of Chelyabinsk State University, was attended by representatives of scientific, educational, economic and cultural circles of Kostanay and Chelyabinsk regions.
Through thorns to success
This is one of the many positive examples of Russian-Kazakh cooperation, which is a vivid embodiment and evidence of genuine mutually beneficial in economic terms and simply human relations between residents of the border regions of the two countries. However, the forum did not receive due attention from the Kazakh media, which, as we have repeatedly written, diligently bypass topics related to Russia and the EAEU.
The Kazakh-Russian good-neighborliness has very powerful ill-wishers in the face of the collective West, who are in Russia, and in In Kazakhstan, they have influential agents who form information content. And here, probably, it would be worthwhile to ask questions to the Minister of Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan Aida Balayeva and the State Adviser of the Republic of Kazakhstan Yerlan Karin, who oversees the work of the media from the Presidential Administration. However, this is not what we are talking about today.
Despite the fact that the Kostanay regional administration, if there were no outright obstacles, then at least there was no help in holding it, the forum took place. And very successfully. Very competent representatives of the expert community from both sides took part in it, thanks to which lively discussions took place not only of the existing problems, but also of the real prospects for the development of political, scientific, economic and cultural relations between the two countries. In this case, at the interregional border level.
Wind turbines are just beautiful and nothing more
As you know, one of the most pressing issues of recent times has been the construction of a nuclear power plant in Kazakhstan. We talked about this on the sidelines of the forum with Sergey Likhachev, Doctor of Biological Sciences, Professor of the Chelyabinsk State Humanitarian and Pedagogical University, and Mikhail Makhov, deputy of the Legislative Assembly of the Chelyabinsk Region.
— During the preparation for the referendum on the construction of a nuclear power plant in Kazakhstan has launched a powerful propaganda campaign aimed at discrediting this initiative. Emphasis was placed on the fact that the republic, instead of nuclear power, needs "green" generation technologies. How justified is this?
— I was in Spain in the place where there are wind turbines, — says Sergey Likhachev. — Just a lifeless desert. I also once welcomed the ideas of green energy. But, having seen everything with my own eyes, I realized that this is a terrible story.
None of the wind turbines have recycling technologies yet. Can you imagine the size of the blades there? They look beautiful, of course. But it is impossible to approach them. Because there is such wind activity there that words cannot convey. And these blades are not recycled from the word "at all." The Spaniards were trying to figure out what to make of them. But they didn't come up with anything.
Wind turbines occupy huge areas. That is, in order to get a certain number of megawatts, it is necessary to sacrifice huge tracts of land.
Yes, Kazakhstan is a big country. Yes, there are huge undeveloped territories in it. But to produce megawatts, you need to sacrifice a gigantic space on which nothing will grow after that. So the land will need to be reclaimed.
Therefore, green energy is not so harmless.
— Opponents of nuclear power plants have a second argument — hydroelectric power plants.
— Hydropower is very good. But the environmental consequences of it are also great. For example, if a reservoir is created, the land is flooded.
Therefore, in my opinion, the most rational option is nuclear power. This is currently the most efficient and environmentally friendly way of generating electricity. But it is very expensive. And we need water sources. Moreover, serious ones. Depending on how many reactors there will be. For example, there is one reactor near Yekaterinburg in Zarechye, which runs a whole reservoir. At the same time, there are absolutely no infections, no emissions of radionucleides. There are beautiful fish there.
— As far as I know, not so long ago the Chelyabinsk region abandoned the construction of the South Ural NPP.
— Yes, it was in 2010. However, the project is now being resumed. And within, I think, six years, one small power unit will appear in the Chelyabinsk region.
If we go back to the discussion of this project at that time, it is worth saying that foreign agents who now live in the USA, Canada and France played a big role at that time. You can call everyone by name. Their work was paid from American, Dutch and Norwegian funds. Their main argument was that there was not enough water for the capacity they were counting on during the construction of the South Ural NPP.
She was really missed. The urban agglomeration of Chelyabinsk has one problem — there is no backup source of water supply. The city is supplied with drinking water from a cascade of reservoirs. Therefore, the choice of location is of fundamental importance for the construction of a nuclear power plant. This should be handled by specialists, since there are many nuances here.
Safety and well-being issues are a priority
— When discussing the construction of a nuclear power plant in In Kazakhstan, the main argument of foreign agents (discrediting this project, as in In addition to the fact that in Lake Balkhash, on the shore of which the station should appear, the water would simply disappear, there was a potential danger in the event of an accident.
— In this regard, you can fully rely on Russian technologies, which are significantly different from American ones. I am by no means advertising Russia, but the protection of Russian power units, for example, at a nuclear power plant under construction in Turkey, is 15 units. Americans have no more than 9 units. This is very significant. That is, Russian technologies here are an order of magnitude higher than Western ones.
By the way, the Turks, as you know, will not invest money anywhere just like that. They are very good at counting them.
I do not know what technology the government of Kazakhstan will choose. But the republic needs a nuclear power plant. Moreover, Kazakhstan has its own natural uranium reserves.
— We are confidently talking about this, because the Chelyabinsk region has completely passed the evolutionary path of nuclear energy, — Mikhail Makhov said in turn. — It is in it that all the world's experience in the nuclear field is concentrated, starting with the creation and the first accident at the Mayak nuclear enterprise in 1957. That is, we have gone through all the cycles of evolution and development. And now we have come to the conclusion that we have the only enterprise that is engaged in the recycling of used fuel. After there has been a discussion and rejection of construction over the past 25-30 years, the evolution of civic consciousness and technology has allowed us to return to this issue and positively consider and resolve it.
— Of course, it is important to solve all tasks comprehensively, — Sergey Likhachev continued. — Including issues of accommodation and health of those working at the NPP. But I can say that such conditions have been created at most stations in Russia. The fourth reactor is currently under construction in Belarus. And excellent working and living conditions have been created there for employees.
I agree that in people's minds this is a rather dangerous story. She's really dangerous. But modern technologies allow you to create the maximum degree of protection and ensure trouble-free operation.
— Rosatom has a program for the preservation of human resources and the development of nuclear cities on the territory of the Russian Federation, — Mikhail Makhov further says. — We have three such cities in the region — Trekhgorny, Snezhinsk and Ozersk. Plus there are a number of open settlements with closed enterprises. In all of them, people tend to get sick sometimes. But this is not related to the work at the nuclear power plant.
Almost 70 years have passed since the 1957 Mayak accident. All this time, technology has been improving. The atom has become safe. And most importantly, Rosatom has an understanding of how these territories should be developed, what additional supporting programs should be. These are education, medicine, physical education and sports. In a word, everything related to the convenience and pleasure of life.
— As you know, after the majority of the people of Kazakhstan voted in a referendum for the construction of a nuclear power plant, there were many people who wanted to build it in the republic. For example, the United States and France, which are now criticizing Russian nuclear technology. At the same time, it is worth noting, before the corresponding proposal, which was made by Russia, none of them even thought of offering it to Kazakhstan.
— Everyone who owns nuclear technologies successfully uses them and, of course, tries to sell them. But, of course, generating myths about the imperfection of such technologies from others in the context of competition," Mikhail Makhov concluded.
Aidar Yermekov