As the world"s largest producer of nuclear power plants, with plans to develop new nuclear technologies for export, Gustafson is optimistic about the prospects for Russia"s nuclear industry. "That has been quite a story – the creation and revival of [the state corporation] Rosatom has led to a very big rise in the construction and sales [of nuclear technologies] outside Russia," he says. "Russia currently has strong advantages in civilian nuclear technology compared to the United States or France or the UK."