[Presenter] Russia will produce more electricity. By 2010, two new generating units will be launched at Russia's power stations and the service life of the 10 functioning power stations will be extended, Russian President Vladimir Putin said today addressing the presidium of the State Council. The field meeting is being held in Tver Region. It is under way at the moment. Our correspondent Vladimir Solovyev reports the details in live link-up.

Hello, Vladimir. What are the main issues discussed at the meeting?

[Correspondent] [Passage omitted] Here, at the nuclear station's administrative building, the field meeting of the presidium of the Russian State Council started today. The main issue on the meeting's agenda is providing for nuclear and radiological security. The main speaker was State Council member and Murmansk Region governor Yuriy Yevdokimov. But first the president took the floor.

[Putin] Russia develops. It develops, quite dynamically, in the major directions: infrastructure, energy, transport. There still remains a lot to be done, but the efforts made by all of us in the last years produce specific results. It is important to draw up steps for the nearest future. As you know, the government has put together a medium-term development programme. We also have issues to discuss in the framework of the State Council, the presidium of the State Council.

As you know, today at 0500 the third generating unit of the Kalininskaya nuclear power station was launched and introduced into Russia's unified energy system. Unique technical solutions were used at this facility and I would like to congratulate both builders and engineers and scientists on this. In essence, the contours of the nuclear energy of the future are worked through, are being worked through. The energy that is cost effective and safe, conforming with all strictest environmental standards.

[Correspondent] Safety is at the heart of Russia's new strategy for energy. After the disaster at the Chernobyl station all security standards at Russia's nuclear and radiological facilities underwent significant revisions. Russian experts have been working on this in cooperation with their international colleagues, for example, with such organizations, as the IAEA [International Atomic Energy Agency].

And the following fact provides an example of how nuclear safety is ensured. We are just a few dozen metres from the nuclear power station's new third generating unit. Radiation level has been measured here recently. It amounted to 10 to 15 microroentgens per hour, while it must not exceed 25 microroentgens per hour. So the radiation background here is practically natural.

[Presenter] Thank you, Vladimir. Channel One correspondent Vladimir Solovyev reported live from the Kalininskaya nuclear power station.