Rolls-Royce to go nuclear in Russia

12th Sep 2011 15:27

Rolls-Royce, one of the few remaining powerhouses of UK manufacturing, is to collaborate with Russian state-owned atomic energy corporation, Rosatom, in the area of civil nuclear power.Sir Simon Robertson, the Chairman of the UK power systems developer, said: "I believe that this collaboration will yield significant benefits asnuclear reactor new-build programmes develop globally."Speaking from Moscow, where he is part of the official delegation of UK Prime Minister David Cameron, Robertson added: "Importantly, we will be working to ensure that this collaboration maximises opportunities for the UK supply chain to expand its capability and capacity, build a strong export base and so benefit from global new build programmes."The Russian State Atomic Energy Corporation (Rosatom) incorporates more than 250 enterprises and scientific institutions, including all civil nuclear companies of Russia, nuclear weapons complex's facilities, research organisations and the world's only nuclear-propelled fleet.It is the largest utility in Russia, producing more than 40% of electricity in the country's European region. --jh