Services. The predictions for the development of nuclear power are different for different geographical regions. Low growth rates, excess generating capacity, decentralization, liberalization, and new technologies in thermal power production (higher efficiency due to the use of water with transcritical parameters) are seen in North America and the European Union. High growth rates, a lack of generating capacity and fossil fuels, and state programs are characteristic in Asia; this stimulates the development of nuclear power.The abundance and diversity of fuel resources in our country make it possible to have a flexible energy policy. The fraction of organic fuels which are exported (~60% of internal use) is growing, and substantial reductions will hardly be possible because of the geopolitical situation and the state of the economy. Thus, modern Russian nuclear power is a stabilizing base for the entire national energy complex. The status and possibilities for the development of a nuclear fuel cycle (NFC) are determined by its competitiveness and domestic and worldwide demand.The prices which the Rosénergoatom concern and RAO UES of Russia plan for electricity indicate that nuclear power plants are very competitive. It is important to note that even for advanced steam-gas power plants the cost of fuel is about 70%, while for nuclear plants it is about 15%. This makes thermal power more sensitive to fuel prices. For the planned tripling of internal prices for gas by 2020, because of forced development of deposits which are difficult to access, the cost of electricity production by steam-gas electric power plants could increase by another factor of 2.5.Before examining the basic components of the NFC and their interrelationship, it should be noted that the basic raw fuel for nuclear power plants anywhere in the world is natural uranium, and about 92% of the reactors operating world-wide are water-moderated water-cooled boiling-water reactors and pressurzued-water reactors. The use of the energy potential of uranium in these reactors is inefficient, being only 0.5-0.7%. At the same time the requirements for safety, cost-effectiveness, competitiveness, and an adequate raw fuel base make them the basis for the development of nuclear power world-wide in the mid-term perspective. The innovative programs INPRO and Generation IV initiated by IAEA and the US, respectively, are oriented toward building demonstration fast reactors with uranium-plutonium fuel which are supposed to be ready for wide commercial adoption after 2030. These documents do not provide for commercial use of thorium as raw material before 2030. Thus, it can be asserted with a high degree of certainty that before the period of time indicated nuclear power in Russia and throughout the world will be based on water-moderated, water-cooled thermal reactors using uranium fuel.General Characteristics of the Worldwide and Russian NFC (Fig. 1). The prereactor part of the NFC is essentially identical in all countries. The differences lie only in the fact that PWR...