Opinions & Interviews

MINSK, 24 February (BelTA) – The Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant (BelNPP) is open to international inspectors, Belarusian Energy Minister Vladimir Potupchik said ahead of a meeting of the Energy Ministry board on 24 February.

“With regard to the statement by German Chancellor Angela Merkel, I would like to say that we are open. We work with the European Union in part of the preparation of the national report on the stress tests which we have already conducted,” Vladimir Potupchik said. The results of the stress tests will be submitted to the European Commission as well.

The minister pointed out that Belarus hosted an IAEA SEED mission. “The results of the mission were announced. We are satisfied with the results and with the work that we have been doing in cooperation with the international community,” Vladimir Potupchik added.

The Belarusian nuclear power plant is a project to build a VVER-1200 type nuclear power plant 18km away from Ostrovets, Grodno Oblast. The BelNPP will have two power-generating units with the total output capacity of up to 2,400MW (2x1,200MW). The first power-generating unit is scheduled for commissioning in 2018. The second one is to go online in 2020.