Belarusian Energy Ministry outlines plans for 2020

MINSK, 13 February (BelTA) – The physical launch and the power startup of the first unit and the integration of the Belarusian nuclear power plant into the national power grid are supposed to happen in 2020, BelTA learned from Belarusian Energy Minister Viktor Karankevich on 13 February.

The official said: “This year we have to deliver nuclear fuel, carry out the physical launch and the power startup of the first unit. In other words, the first few kilowatt-hours will be transmitted to the power grid. 2020 is the final year of the five-year term, during which we have to finish key projects. Those include the implementation of measures to integrate the Belarusian nuclear power plant into the power grid and the country's economy.”

In his words, the first unit of the Belarusian nuclear power plant is nearly ready. “Virtually all the construction and installation operations are over. Finishing work is nearing completion. The main process equipment is going through hot trials, which allow the power unit to work with nuclear fuel imitators. It is necessary to analyze the operation of the entire first unit as part of the technology chain and see whether the equipment operates with all the specified parameters,” the energy minister noted.

Viktor Karankevich stressed that the construction and commissioning of the Belarusian nuclear power plant is an important project not only for diversifying fuel and energy resources (in other words, important for the energy industry). The project is important for the entire economy. “It is kind of a stimulus for the development of new enterprises, including energy-hungry ones,” the official pointed out.

A project to install a 10MW electric boiler in a new boiler house in the town of Kostyukovichi was implemented in 2019. “It is the first project among the projects and measures designed to integrate the Belarusian nuclear power plant into the power grid. It is necessary to implement projects like that at a total of 19 installations with the total installed capacity of 836MW. All of them are being implemented on schedule and are supposed to be commissioned in 2020,” the official added.

As for the construction of backup and peak load energy sources, they will be installed at four facilities of the Belarusian power grid. Work to choose the main equipment is virtually over. The development of design documents is in the final phase. These facilities are scheduled for commissioning in 2021.

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.