Current state and development opportunities for closed towns of nuclear industry

The article examines the current trends in the development of closed cities of the nuclear industry, the changes taking place in them and the opportunities for development. The relevance of these issues is due to the need to use the scientific and technological potential of cities for the innovative development of the country. Based on foreign experience, it is confirmed that the presence of nuclear industry enterprises on the territory contributes to the creation of innovative ecosystems, makes the territory attractive for business development. In terms of socio-economic development, attention is focused on the movement of the population, the activities of city-forming enterprises and small businesses, the income of the population and local budgets. New trends characteristic of closed cities are identified: strengthening the role of the ROSATOM State Corporation in the management system of nuclear closed cities; diversification of their economy based on the stable operation of the city-forming enterprise and the creation of other high-tech industries with the participation of the ROSATOM State Corporation; the dependence of the population of cities on the state of affairs at the city-forming enterprise; weak interest in the development of small businesses; the appearance of pendulum migration. The further development of closed cities through the expansion of the market of highly qualified labor in them is proposed: the activation of civil research and development; the formation of research networks using unique scientific installations and supercomputer capacities, etc. To attract qualified labor, it is necessary to create comfortable living conditions, which is more likely with the participation of the ROSATOM State Corporation. Some of the proposals are being tested. The results obtained may be of methodological and practical interest not only for closed cities, but also for other single-industry towns, as well as city-forming holdings.