Cautious increase in electricity consumption due to Belarusian nuclear power plant launch advocated

Plans have been made to increase electricity consumption due to the launch of the Belarusian nuclear power plant. It is important to approach the matter carefully, BelTA learned from Mikhail Malashenko, Deputy Chairman of the Standardization Committee, Director of the Energy Effectiveness Department, at a press conference on 16 March.

The official said: “Due to the launch of the Belarusian nuclear power plant we intend to increase electricity consumption as much as possible, including in the housing and utilities infrastructure, by commissioning direct-heating boilers and by commissioning sources of energy for small and medium consumers on the basis of electric compression heat pumps. It is a new technology for us. We will have to accomplish interesting tasks.”

Mikhail Malashenko went on saying that the rational use of electricity is one of the directions of the government program on energy saving for the period till 2025. “We cannot just use up more electricity and waste it because we think we have plenty. A rational approach is needed. We have to use modern energy-effective technologies, replace imported hydrocarbons, and reduce the energy intensity of end products and their prime cost,” he stressed.

The implementation of energy-effective measures in apartment houses is an important direction. “It is this kind of houses that consumes about 30% of all the heating energy in Belarus. We should channel our efforts into reducing its consumption. We have huge reserves for decreasing the consumption of natural gas. There is a program on using electricity in apartment houses for heating, hot water supply, and for cooking. Such plans have been made for new real estate development areas,” Mikhail Malashenko said.

The Belarusian nuclear power plant is being built near Ostrovets, Grodno Oblast using the Russian design AES-2006 featuring two VVER-1200 reactors with the total output capacity of 2,400MW.