Jun 09 - United Press International

Russia must increase its nuclear capacity and tighten security for its nuclear industry, President Vladimir Putin said Friday.

Putin presided at a meeting of nuclear industry officials at his country retreat in Novo-Ogaryovo, Itar-Tass reported.

The nuclear industry potential is crucial for the interests of national security, Putin said.

Putin said 16 percent of the country's energy comes from nuclear power -- but that will drop to an insignificant percentage by 2030 if no action is taken, RIA-Novosti said.

Sergei Kiriyenko, a former prime minister who heads the Federal Agency for Nuclear Power, said construction will begin next year on two nuclear plants, with several more coming in 2009 and 2010.

Putin reminded the group of the world's worst nuclear disaster, the near-meltdown at Chernobyl when Ukraine was part of the Soviet Union, and said that security for nuclear plants is vital.