Russian Federal Council approves Rosatom bill
23 November 2007
The Federal Council, the upper house of the Russian parliament, approved the law concerning the formation of Rosatom.
During its meeting on 23 November, the 135 members of the council voted 134 in favour of the bill, with just one vote against it.
The upper house approval follows the bill being adopted by the lower house, the Duma, on 13 November. The legislation would create a high-level state corporation named Rosatom (the same name as the existing Federal Atomic Energy Agency), which has been handicapped by its relatively low status in the political system.
The bill will now be submitted to President Vladimir Putin for final approval.
The new Rosatom company would assume many of the roles currently taken by the existing Rosatom agency, overseeing the commercially-focused nuclear power industry as well as Russia's extensive military complexes. As a company, the new Rosatom will hold shares in AtomEnergoProm and the state enterprises currently owned by the Rosatom agency, enabling much greater coordination of planning and funding. It would also control some scientific organizations and nuclear safety and radiation authorities.
The Rosatom company will be governed by a supervisory board consisting of eight presidential and governmental representatives, as well as a director general who is to be appointed by the Russian president. The company's board of directors will be appointed by the supervisory board according to the director general's proposals.
Further information
Federal Atomic Energy Agency (Rosatom)
WNA's Nuclear Power in Russia information paper
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