On a spring day in 1986, an explosion and subsequent fire at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine, near the Belarusian border — then part of the Soviet Union — projected a plume of radioactive material into the sky. Nearly 30 years later, an exclusion zone with a radius of roughly 30 kilometers (18.6 miles) is still enforced. Meanwhile, efforts are underway to construct updated containment facilities to stem further contamination.
The Russian nuclear sector, now led by state-owned company Rosatom, may never fully escape the ghost of Chernobyl. However, the stigma is beginning to lift, and plans for nuclear expansion are beginning to regain ground. With the U.N. climate talks just around the corner, numerous countries seeking to meet emissions targets could seek to exploit nuclear energy — a proven clean energy source. China, for one, aspires to export nuclear technology in the near future. But by the time Beijing reaches that point, Russia is hoping to have cornered the market on nuclear exports, especially to countries with no prior experience with nuclear power.
Rosatom's stated, if not intangible, goals in 2010 have gained traction over the past several years. At the end of 2013, Rosatom's foreign orders totaled $74 billion. In September 2015, Rosatom estimated the value of export orders reached $300 billion with 30 plants in 12 counties. In addition, Russia has memorandums of cooperation and deals at various stages of negotiation across the globe. There appears to be no region where Russia does not seek to send its nuclear exports.
Russia is no novice when it comes to using energy exports for political gain — see Russian natural gas exports to Europe. But as the game of pipelines continues in Europe, Russia is in a bitter standoff with the United States. In Russia's political chess strategy, numerous pieces are currently in motion. Economic pressure to lift sanctions seems to be hastening de-escalation in the Ukraine conflict. Meanwhile, Moscow is strengthening its presence in Syria through its more aggressive military stance. With hydrocarbon exports vulnerable, especially at times of low oil prices, exporting nuclear technology can provide Russia with another means of exerting influence. Nuclear power may never become as important as hydrocarbons, but it does provide a measure of political insurance as Russia attempts to maintain its global heft.
