DOHA • A high-level team from Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation (Kahramaa), headed by Vice Chairperson Issa Shaheen Al Ghanim, discussed potential cooperation between Russia and Qatar during a discussion with Russian Federal Agency for Nuclear Energy (Rosatom) held recently in Russia.

"The Russian visit was meant to discuss potential cooperation between Russia and Qatar in the peaceful use of atomic energy and ways to make use of that country's experience", Kahramaa said in an official press note yesterday.

The Qatari delegation attended several programmes and presentations hosted by Russia's nuclear energy agencies; and toured several Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) construction companies. The delegation also held several rounds of discussions with the Rosatom International Cooperation department on the preliminary lines of cooperation between Qatar and Russia.

The Qatari delegation attended a presentation on Russia's atomic energy technologies and the country's experience in the construction of NPP for electricity generation, sea water desalination, drain water radioactive treatment, research reactors with options of medical and industrial isotopes production.

The Rosatom International Cooperation Department gave an introduction of different isotopes production options at Russia's research reactors and its floating nuclear power station projects to Qatar.

Market analysts have recently reported that Qatar was studying the possibility of adding up to 5,400 megawatts (MW) of nuclear capacity between 2011 and 2036.

Qatar is facing one of the most challenging expansion prospects in the region as the country will have to double its present installed capacity by 2015 due to the many hydrocarbon-related energy projects.