Discussion

The debate on Russian energy has failed to give importance to nuclear energy as an important power generation export product. Rosatom, the Russian State Atomic Energy Corporation aims to double its nuclear capacity up to 2030. This expansion within is marketed to secure export contracts with countries in Africa, Europe and Asia. The preferability towards nuclear energy export comes from the fact that nuclear power plants in the construction phase induce high capital costs but incur very low fuel cost. Russia’s energy influence does not derive from oil and gas solely. The abundance of energy resources also includes nuclear energy capabilities that creates an interest from a wide range of foreign governments and companies towards cooperation with Russia. The high technology industry is of great importance to Russia especially after 2014 when sanctions were imposed on Russia by the West over the annexation of Crimea by Russia.

I use social-structurationist approach to examine the interests driving Russian nuclear energy diplomacy and the structures within which Rosatom and its subsidiaries operate to promote their interests in the target country India. This will be studied with the example of Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant 1 and 2 project. The main focus is to understand Russia’s nuclear energy policy and to contribute to a better understanding of Russia’s nuclear energy technology export globally.