Belarus plans initial load of nuclear fuel at its Ostrovets NPP in July

MINSK, 11 May (BelTA) – Plans are in place to load nuclear fuel into the first unit of the Belarusian nuclear power plant in July, Belarus' Deputy Energy Minister Mikhail Mikhadyuk said at a video briefing hosted by BelTA's press center.

“According to the schedule provided by the general contractor, this will happen in July,” Mikhail Mikhadyuk said.

Preparations are under way for the physical launch. The deputy minister stressed that all the work is carried out in accordance with the the regulations, there is no haste.

“Safety of the nuclear plant is our top priority. Until we make sure that we are ready technologically (the personnel, all premises, structures, physical protection of the object), we will not proceed to this stage,” Mikhail Mikhadyuk said.

Belarus' Energy Ministry informed about the delivery of nuclear fuel to the Ostrovets NPP on 6 May. A batch of nuclear fuel to start the reactor of the first power-generating unit of the Belarusian nuclear power plant was made by Novosibirsk Chemical Concentrates Plant (NCCP, part of TVEL Fuel Company of the Russian nuclear industry corporation Rosatom).

The Belarusian nuclear power plant is being built near Ostrovets, Grodno Oblast using a Russian design featuring two VVER-1200 reactors with the total output capacity of 2,400MW. Rosatom's engineering division – ASE Company – is the general contractor. The first unit is supposed to go online in 2020, with the second one scheduled for launch in 2021.