Moscow, 27 November: Russia intends to modernize and extend the service life of 11 power units in its nuclear power stations by 2005. This is one of the provisions of the federal programme Energy-Efficient Economy that covers the period from 2002 to 2005 and sets guidelines until 2010, the Government Information Department reported on Tuesday [27 November]. The programme calls for the overhaul of nuclear power stations with a view to extending their safe and efficient operation, extending the service life of power units, resumption of the construction of power units and compiling a list of promising sites for future nuclear power stations. Its other provisions include the overhaul and construction of new plants for making fuel elements and the overhaul of "wet" nuclear waste storage facilities. In the next stage, 2006-2010, the efficiency of existing nuclear power stations will be stepped up by increasing the utilization of current capacity, extending their service life and increasing capacity by using new-generation power units In 2005, the capacity of all Russian nuclear power stations should total 25.24 GW. It will increase by 3 GW in 2002-05 and by 4.81 GW in 2006-10 to 30.05 GW. When nuclear power stations account for nearly 20 per cent of total energy generated in the country, nearly 52bn cubic metres of gas will be saved in 2005 and 65.5bn cubic metres in 2010. The construction of nuclear power stations in Iran, China, India, Kazakhstan and Ukraine will provide 42bn dollars in 2002-2005 and 24bn dollars in 2006-2010.