Business news

MINSK, 11 October (BelTA) – After the nuclear power plant goes online, Belarus will import electricity if doing so is economically expedient, BelTA learned from Belarusian Energy Minister Vladimir Potupchik during the Belarusian Energy and Ecology Forum on 11 October.

“Once the Belarusian nuclear power plant goes online, we will import electricity only if it is economically justified,” said Vladimir Potupchik.

In basic mode the Belarusian nuclear power plant will generate about 18 billion kWh. It will produce over 40% of the total energy Belarus consumes bearing in mind the increase in the country’s electricity consumption up to 40 billion kWh. With a nuclear power plant of its own, Belarus will be able to substitute 5 billion m3 of imported natural gas in addition to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 7-10 million tonnes per annum.

“The development of nuclear energy industry will give a new intellectual and technological impulse to the country’s development. It will also provide additional guarantees for stronger state independence and economic self-dependence,” stressed the official.

The Belarusian nuclear power plant is built using the Russian standard Generation III+ design AES-2006 near Ostrovets, Grodno Oblast. The first power-generating unit is scheduled for commissioning in 2019, with the second one to go online in 2020.