Belarusian NPP hailed as great contributor to climate change efforts

MOSCOW, 24 May (BelTA) – The Belarusian NPP makes a significant contribution to the fight against climate change, Belarusian Energy Minister said at the 2nd Eurasian Economic Forum in Moscow on 24 May, BelTA has learned.

"For Belarus, as for any state, it is important to diversify types and suppliers of energy resources and to reduce dependence on hydrocarbon fuels, including by means of switching to nuclear energy. Poorly endowed with traditional types of resources, Belarus has made a decision in favor of nuclear energy. Time has shown that it was a smart decision. The BelNPP project is on the home stretch. The plant has two units of 1,170MW each," Viktor Karankevich said. He also noted that the BelNPP is being built to the Russian project, which meets the most stringent safety requirements.

"While other states are just starting their national nuclear energy programs, Belarus has already built its own nuclear infrastructure. The Belarusian nuclear power plant is already working for the country's economy and is producing a tangible effect. Since the first unit was connected to the grid (3 November 2020), the plant has generated about 15 billion kWh of electricity, which made it possible to replace 3.9 billion cubic meters of natural gas," the minister stressed.

Until recently natural gas accounted for more than 90% of the country's electricity and heat production. With the launch of the BelNPP, the goal is to reduce this share to 60%, the minister said.

"For us, a nuclear power plant is a reliable, environmentally friendly and economical source of energy. It guarantees security for decades to come for Belarus and makes a significant contribution to the common cause of mitigating the climate change. With the launch of the nuclear power plant, Belarus plans to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by more than 7 million tonnes," Viktor Karankevich said.