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Russian researchers to declassify thermonuclear technology

Interfax News Agency
February 11, 2001

Russian researchers have made the decision to declassify the principle of operation of the so-called explosive ignition thermonuclear facility, developed by the research institute of technical physics in Snezhinsk, Andrei Lumpov, the deputy director of the Republic Research and Consulting Center's State Center of Market Research, has told Interfax.

The authors of the project argue, he said, that "certain forces plan to put the United States, not Russia, in charge of implementing this project."

Due to an information leak back in the sixties the facility was patented in various other countries as well as Russia, Lumov said. "Nevertheless, only Russia has the secret of creating the small energy charges necessary to launch the facility," he said, describing these as "miniature nuclear bombs."

The explosive ignition facility is based on the fusion of deuterium, ignited by a small energy charge, Lumpov said. The industrial facility will have a capacity of 30 million kilowatts, which is equal to the capacity of 20-30 nuclear power plants. The construction of such a facility will cost about $3 billion.

"Calculations have shown that in the next few years we can build industrial power stations on the basis of the explosive ignition facility and sell energy at 1 cent per kilowatt-hour, which is very cheap," he said.

The facility is absolutely safe. The basis of its construction is a shock-absorbing pad and the walls are resilient. "The facility cannot be broken or strongly shaken by internal explosions, or earthquakes measuring 8-9 on the Richter scale," the expert said.

The project could enable Russia to provide energy for two thirds of the world's population at $1 trillion - $3 trillion per annum by the middle of the twenty-first century.




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