UK-Russia Closed Nuclear Cities Partnership

International Development Centre – Snezhinsk

The International Development Centre – Snezhinsk, is a non-governmental, not-for-profit organization providing services relating to the development of small and medium size businesses in the Closed City of Snezhinsk. Since 2003, IDC has been working as a CNCP City Coordinator supporting the implementation of projects not only in Snezhinsk itself, but also in Ozersk and Novouralsk.

Snezhinsk is a nuclear Closed City where the Russian Federal Research Institute of Technical Physics (VNIITF) is located. In accordance with Rosatom’s Restructuring Programme, VNIITF is planning a programme of staff redundances and the gradual separation of its core functions and secondary production activities. This is expected to lead to several thousand people being laid off. Finding new employment opportunities for staff previously engaged in the nuclear complex has, therefore, become a pressing issue.

IDC was established in 2000 with funding provided by the five year US-funded Nuclear Cities Initiative (NCI). After the completion of this Programme in 2003, collaboration with CNCP became a logical continuation of work focused on creating conditions for economic stability in the Closed City and on job creation for former employees of the nuclear complex.

Today IDC is a not-for-profit centre supporting the establishment and development of businesses, providing a wide range of services relating to the preparation, implementation and coordination of commercial projects, training and improvement of the qualifications of specialists working both in commercial companies and in VNIITF. Clients of the Fund include developing and growing enterprises based in the Closed Cities and companies located in neighbouring large cities, which are interested in establishing subsidiaries in the Closed Cities.

When a client addresses the Fund he or she receives very detailed information about the objectives, opportunities and requirements of the CNCP Programme. Preliminary monitoring of the company is then carried out: the IDC Coordinator studies the client’s business and assesses how far the proposed project meets the requirements of the Programme. IDC then provides maximum support in the preparation of the project for implementation in the framework of the CNCP Programme and for its further development.

CNCP started to work in Snezhinsk in 2003, working with the IDC. Assistance was later extended to Ozersk and, in 2007 to Novouralsk.

In Snezhinsk, IDC has taken part in the preparation of more than 30 investment projects, most of which received grant support from CNCP. Three projects to a total value of about £ 700,000 have been completed successfully. Nineteen projects to a total value of £3,6 million are currently underway or at the stage of final monitoring. These projects together involve the creation of 403 new working places, of which 178 have been already created.

With support from the IDC, 4 CNCP partnership projects to a total value of £480,000 have been fully completed in Ozersk, creating 141 new jobs. Eight projects to a total value of £2,1 million are currently being implemented or are at the stage of monitoring. It is expected that these projects will create an additional 180 new working places.

CNCP activity in the Closed City of Novouralsk started at the end of 2007 and already in 2008 the first project prepared by IDC-Snezhinsk was approved for funding. Its total value was more than £ 320 000, with 26 jobs to be created. Work is being done in preparation for two more projects, with a total cost of £609,000, and involving about 60 new jobs.

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