Energy Blast, Dec. 25, 2007

Part of Russia’s plans to build Rosatom, the state nuclear power corporation, will include the setting up of a national nuclear energy university, to be based at the Moscow Engineering Physics Institute. Unified Energy System (UES) has completed the restructuring of the thermal power sector as part of a broader electric power system reform. Russia’s Resources Ministry could ease access to state auctions of large oil, gas or metal deposits by foreign companies, but is to tighten control over large equity deals. Gazprom, Russia’s biggest supplier of natural gas for power plants, paid almost $850 million for new shares in OAO OGK-6, Russia’s third-largest power generator by capacity.

World EnergyDomestic shortages in China have caused Sinopec to make plans for a record diesel import of 500,000 tonnes in January.Northeast China-based Liaoyang refinery, a unit of PetroChina, has started up a new diesel facility with a 1.2 million tonne-per-year capacity.French President Nicolas Sarkozy is to make a visit to the Gulf states to offer French collaboration on civil nuclear energy. France is reportedly looking to provide nuclear facilities or technical assistance to Qatar, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Egypt and Jordan.