OREANDA-NEWS. October 28, 2011. The delegation of JSC “Techsnabexport” (TENEX) headed by the first deputy general director Lyudmila Zalimskaya took part in the International Uranium Fuel Seminar organized by the US Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) in Scottsdale, USA.

TENEX attends the NEI’s seminar annually but it was the first time this year that TENEX organized a round table for the representatives of American energy companies and other partners. The event, held on 25th of October 2011, gave an opportunity to discuss the plans of TENEX activities at the US uranium market. Representatives of NEI and major American energy companies including such companies as Exelon Generation Company LLC, Fuelco, Entergy, Constellation and others took part in the round table.

Opening the round table, Lyudmila Zalimskaya noted that a considerable progress in developing direct relationships between TENEX and American energy companies has been achieved since the signing of the Amendment to the Russian Suspension Agreement (RSA) in 2008. It was an important aspect that affected the overall dynamics of the US-Russian cooperation in nuclear sphere that was given a new impulse by the Agreement for Cooperation in the Field of Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy (so called 123 Agreement) which was brought into force in January 2011.

President of TENAM Corporation – TENEX subsidiary in the USA, the head of uranium sales department of TENEX Vadim Mikerin covered some more details about the company’s activities at the US uranium market and its future plans. He noted that now TENEX’s export portfolio consists of 13 direct contracts with ten US energy companies with the total amount of more than USD 5,5 billion. It means that TENEX has already filled a significant part of the available export volume fixed by the Amendment to the Russian Suspension Agreement. This, according to Mr. Mikerin, proves that American partners consider TENEX as a reliable long-term supplier of the enriched uranium for the US nuclear power plants. This is especially important for the stable operation of the U.S. NPPs today when American enrichment industry is experiencing the period of technological transformation. He reminded that in July 2011 after a long break TENEX in accordance with its contractual obligations has completed the first direct commercial delivery of Russian enriched uranium product to Exelon Generation Company LLC. “I’m confident that in the close future TENEX will conclude a number of new contracts with the US customers that would allow us to realize the potential of the Amendment to the RSA in full measure”, - Vadim Mikerin summed up.

Answering the questions from the American partners, TENEX representatives also told the participants of the round table about the company’s new projects aimed at the further development of the company’s marketing infrastructure and strengthening of its market potential – particularly about the projects on creation of the new points for the nuclear materials shipment on the North-West and the Far East of Russia.

The autumn seminars of the US Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI), established in 1994, are traditionally attended by NPP operators, suppliers of goods and services for the nuclear fuel cycle, other market participants. Meetings within these seminars provide an opportunity to exchange views on current trends and prospects of development of the nuclear industry and to inform partners about the achievements and future plans.