Interview with Mikhail Pervyshin, General Director of STS LLC
Mikhail Nikolaevich Pervyshin, General Director of STS LLC, spoke about the launch of the new titanium pipeline production, working in international markets, and the company's successes in the nuclear industry.
— Mikhail Nikolaevich, the first question is about the launch of the titanium technology. What is this technology? How was the preparation for launching this new production line for the plant?
— Titanium is a separate technology. It is used in nuclear power plants for specific technological systems. Sea water is used to test titanium because titanium is resistant to corrosion in this environment due to the presence of a strong oxide film. Why is titanium so necessary? Because sea water is aggressive, and only titanium can withstand the operational conditions set during the construction of Western stations.
We began preparing the site in 2024. We invested 250 million rubles into it, into equipment, and into construction and installation works. We certified the technology and certified the workers involved in the mechanical processing, assembly, and welding of titanium pipelines. And, accordingly, in 2025, we launched this production. For STS, it is absolutely new. The prices for titanium pipelines are very high-margin, an order of magnitude different from the prices of even stainless-steel pipelines.
Accordingly, we have signed contracts for volumes for the 3rd and 4th units of the Akkuyu NPP (Turkey) for titanium pipelines, 40 tons for each unit. And now we have secured a one-ton supply of titanium pipelines for Kudankulam—the largest nuclear power plant in India. In June, we fully launched the production and made the first shipments of titanium system pipelines.
— The Kudankulam story is a bit sad, dating back to 1988 when Mikhail Gorbachev and Rajiv Gandhi first signed an international agreement. After the collapse of the USSR, our economy required a reset for a long 10 years to recover and start many projects anew. Today is 2025. Quite a lot of time has passed—37 years. Are there any supply disruptions, or can we now breathe a sigh of relief because everything is finally going according to plan?
— We are participating in the supply of pipelines for the fifth and sixth power units. Everything is going according to plan. The nuclear industry as a whole is not a fast-moving business, but as of today, we are not behind the set schedule.
— And why is this industry considered not fast?
— Firstly, the construction of nuclear power plants is technologically very complex. Lengthy design works and design surveys are carried out. Secondly, safety is important to all of us, the safety of every built system. Even using pipelines as an example, for instance, for the supply of class pipelines, I can say that control is exercised by authorized organizations at every production point, starting from the stage of manufacturing even the raw materials, pipes, and bends.
To ensure one hundred percent guarantees and quality, deadlines sometimes have to be extended. There are sad examples of Chernobyl and Fukushima, which everyone knows and remembers. Therefore, there is nothing wrong with over-insurance. Every over-insurance in this business always costs time. But it also ensures the safety of every life.
— Is India our friend? In light of external political instabilities, constant outbreaks of military aggression, does all this hinder our partnership and the fulfillment of bilateral obligations?
— India is undoubtedly our friend. Rosatom builds stations mostly in friendly countries, even from the perspective of today's situations. These are India, Bangladesh, Egypt, etc.
But even in NATO countries, in Turkey, where the Akkuyu project is being implemented, and in Hungary, at the Paks NPP, construction is actively underway. That is, even in these countries, which are members of the North Atlantic Alliance, cooperation with Rosatom continues, and the construction of nuclear power plants is ongoing.
— Why does Rosatom call the Kudankulam station the "Pearl of Nuclear Power"?
— Well, I think it was called that because it has as many as four operational units, with six to be operational in the future—this is a large share of India's energy balance. The Kudankulam NPP provides a large amount of energy for consumption. This is very relevant for India. According to the World Economic Outlook report prepared by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), in 2025, the most populous country in the world is India, with a population of 1.454 billion people.
Naturally, such a country has a high demand for electricity. The quality of life of the population depends on this station. I am sure that is precisely why such an epithet is used.
— From whom did we have to learn experience for such fruitful and difficult work with different technologies and stations?
— We learned from the experience of factories that worked for our shareholders before STS was established. Some of our key employees at STS have experience working at Rosatom, and, accordingly, all this experience helped in creating the competencies that we now have.
— How did our competitors react to our successes?
— Well, I think such a technological breakthrough by STS was surprising for all competitors. No one achieved such results so quickly. It seems to me that our competitors are now watching us even more closely.
— What is the motto behind the fact that WE are so great?
— That WE are the coolest team!
About the Company
STS LLC is a modern enterprise specializing in the production of high-tech equipment for the nuclear industry.
About the Interviewee
Mikhail Nikolaevich Pervyshin is the General Director of STS LLC, a leader with extensive experience in the nuclear industry.
About the Interviewer
Egor Sergeevich Cherkasov is the author and host of the interview, a specialist in corporate communications.
Interview Tags:
- Nuclear Power
- Technological Innovation
- International Cooperation
- Industrial Production
- Titanium Technologies