Belarusian NPP gets full license to construct first power-generating unit

The Belarusian nuclear power plant (NPP) has received the full license for the construction of the first power-generating unit, BelTA learned from the Nuclear and Radiation Safety Department (Gosatomnadzor) of the Belarusian Emergencies Ministry.

“The document permits us to start the main stage of the construction of the first power-generating unit,” the specialists said. The decision on the license was made at the meeting of the board of the Belarusian Emergencies Ministry.

The Belarusian nuclear power plant sent all the documents necessary for the license to the Gosatomnadzor in February 2013. The documents on the nuclear and radiation safety of the Ostrovets nuclear power plant (including level 1 probabilistic safety assessment) were reviewed by the experts according to the procedure established by the legislation. The examination was performed by the Joint Institute for Power and Nuclear Research – Sosny of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus. In particular, the experts examined if the safety of first power-generating unit was fully proven and met the requirements of the Belarusian and Russian laws and the international recommendations regarding the use of nuclear energy and the sources of nuclear radiation.

Besides, the commission of experts formed by the Gosatomnadzor assessed the organizational and technical capabilities of the Belarusian nuclear power plant according to the terms and requirements of the license.

The pouring of concrete into the foundation of the facilities for the first power-generating unit started in November 2013. The Belarusian nuclear power plant will have two power-generating units with the total generating capacity of up to 2,400MW (1,200MW each). The Russian design AES-2006 has been chosen to build the power plant. The design is fully compliant with international standards and IAEA recommendations. The Russian company OAO NIAEP – ZAO Atomstroyexport (ASE) is the general designer and the general contractor for building the power plant. The timeline for the project is stipulated by the general contract. The first power-generating unit of the nuclear power plant is scheduled for launch in November 2018.

As of 5 April as much as 5% of the total work required to build the Belarusian nuclear power plant was completed.