The Russian Atom feat. Mark Nelson

Russia has been in the nuclear energy game now for over 75 years
and its nuclear industry has bounced back to become the leading
exporter of reactors around the world. What accounts for this
success?   


In the context of oligarchs balkanizing and profiteering off of
sectors of the USSR's formerly centrally planned economy the
Russian nuclear industry managed to re-consolidate itself into
Rosatom, a collection of over 360 enterprises.   


Rosatom is a vertically integrated state owned enterprise which
offers partnering countries around the world the full suite of
services and training to bring it nuclear energy generation
capacity.   


The core of Russia's nuclear program is the VVER design however
Russia is also a world leader in SMR and advanced reactor
technologies with concepts that have left the computer simulator
and are connected to the grid gaining real world engineering and
operational experience. What lessons can we learn from its
advanced reactor program?   


I am joined by Mark Nelson, managing director of the Radiant
Energy Fund. Mark is a leading researcher and speaker on the
status and prospects of nuclear and alternative energy around the
world. He holds degrees in mechanical, aerospace, and nuclear
engineering as well as Russian language and literature.