Energy Ministry eager to commission second unit of Belarusian nuclear power plant in 2021

MINSK, 19 December (BelTA) – The Belarusian Energy Ministry is taking measures to get the second unit of the nuclear power plant commissioned in 2021, BelTA learned from Belarusian Deputy Energy Minister Mikhail Mikhadyuk on 19 December.

The official said: “As much as 70% of the work specified by the design documents has been done on the second unit. Active work is in progress to install the basic plant and equipment. Cables are being laid in order to supply electricity for balance-of-plant needs in the first quarter of the year. We are taking every measure to commission the second unit in 2021.”

According to the source, there are plans to deliver nuclear fuel to the construction site in 2020 in addition to the physical launch and the power startup of the first unit of the nuclear power plant. The unit will then be connected to the power grid.

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.