Belarus to build 340,000sq. m. of housing for NPP employees in Ostrovets by 2017

Plans have been made to build 340,000 square meters of housing for the NPP employees in Ostrovets by 2017, Belarus’ Energy Minister Vladimir Potupchik told reporters, BelTA has learned.

Three new neighborhoods are under construction in Ostrovets. "By 2017, we are set to deliver 340,000 square meters of housing. These are fairly big numbers. We have already commissioned 108,000 square meters, which allows accommodating both the nuclear plant specialists and construction specialists," said Vladimir Potupchik.

Issues regarding the construction of social facilities such as schools, kindergartens are also on the agenda. The youth art center will be built in Ostrovets this year.

The Belarusian nuclear power plant is being built 18km away from the town of Ostrovets, Grodno Oblast. The BelNPP will have two power-generating units with the total output capacity of up to 2,400MW (2x1,200MW). The Russian merged company OAO NIAEP – ZAO ASE is the general designer and the general contractor of the project. The AES-2006 design developed by the Saint Petersburg-based R&D company Atomenergoproject was chosen for building Belarus’ first nuclear power plant. The first power-generating unit of the nuclear power plant is scheduled for launch in 2018, the second one in 2020.