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Cheaper electricity for real sector after Belarusian nuclear power plant launch

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MINSK, 13 August (BelTA) – Plans have been made to reduce electricity tariffs after the Belarusian nuclear power plant is commissioned and electricity consumption has increased, BelTA learned from Belarusian Energy Minister Viktor Karankevich after a government conference hosted by the head of state on 13 August.

The official said: “There are plans to introduce lower electricity rates for the real sector of the economy taking into account an increase in electricity consumption in the country.”

Viktor Karankevich reminded that the loading of nuclear fuel into the reactor of the first unit of the Belarusian nuclear power plant began on 7 August. The work will be finished on 13 August – all the 163 fuel rod arrays are supposed to be loaded then. “After that the reactor will be assembled, sealed, and will have to reach minimal output levels. Connection to the power grid and the generation of electricity for consumers in the country are scheduled for Q4 2020,” the energy minister noted.

Work to increase electricity consumption proceeds in parallel. A set of measures is being implemented in order to increase electricity consumption in the real sector of the economy by 2.7 billion kWh by 2026. The Energy Ministry and the Antimonopoly Regulation and Trade Ministry are now working on a system of stimulating electricity rates that depends on the volume of consumption: the higher consumption is, the lower electricity rates are. “We intend to finish the work by the end of the year,” Viktor Karankevich added.

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