Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- To replace carbon fuels and solve climate problems by 2050, it is necessary to build about 40 GW of nuclear power in the world annually. This was stated by Deputy Director General of the IAEA Mikhail Chudakov at the plenary meeting of the International Forum ATOMEXPO-2024.

The plenary session of the forum focused on the global development of nuclear energy under the slogan “Clean Energy: Creating the Future Together.”

Speaking at the plenary session, IAEA Deputy Director General Mikhail Chudakov emphasized the need to build 40 GW of nuclear power annually to replace carbon fuel by 2050.

According to him, nuclear generation can grow 2.5 times by 2050, maintaining 9% of the global energy balance, but political disputes are hindering its development.

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary Péter Szijjártó noted the growing demand for electricity in Europe and pointed to nuclear energy as the only way to reliably, safely and environmentally meet this need. He emphasized that without cooperation in the nuclear field between Europe and Russia it will not be possible to achieve sustainable development goals.

Peter Szijjártó has clearly expressed Hungary’s position against expanding sanctions on the nuclear industry, especially when it affects his country’s interests. Hungary stands by the fact that it will not support sanctions that harm its own interests, emphasizing the importance of nuclear energy for its energy security and stability.

Szijjártó’s comment about US$1 billion in uranium supplies from Russia to the US highlights a possible ambivalence on the issue of nuclear sanctions, suggesting that countries calling for sanctions may themselves be dependent on the resources they are trying to restrict. This point highlights the complexity and contradictions of international relations in the context of global energy security and interdependence.

Peter Szijjártó emphasized the importance of nuclear cooperation with Russia for Hungary, reflecting the overall dependence on nuclear energy in the European context. This statement reflects broader dynamics in relations between the EU and Russia, especially in the context of energy security and politics. Hungary, while emphasizing its need to protect national interests, opposes sanctions that could undermine its energy stability.
This Hungarian position, as well as the reaction of other countries, highlights the complexities of a common sanctions policy in the EU and the impact of global energy interdependence on international relations.

Alexey Likhachev, General Director of the Rosatom State Corporation, expressed ambitious plans for the development of nuclear energy in Russia, including the construction of more than 40 nuclear power units in the next 20 years with the goal of increasing the share of nuclear generation to 25%.

By 2050–2060, Rosatom intends to increase this share to a third of the total energy balance, with an emphasis on the transition from generation III+ to generation IV reactors and the introduction of thermonuclear energy.

According to him, the first commercial thermonuclear reactor will appear in the world and in Russia at the turn of 2050.

Likhachev also emphasized the importance of overcoming the political division of nuclear energy into “right” and “wrong,” calling for an open professional dialogue and an integrated approach in the implementation of nuclear projects.

He praised the contribution of the international community in the field of nuclear energy and the importance of sharing knowledge and technology.