Energy Ministry: Quality of work, not speed, is vital in the Belarusian NPP project

Quality of work is top priority in the construction of the Belarusian nuclear power plant, Deputy Energy Minister of Belarus Mikhail Mikhadyuk told media on 2 April, BelTA has learned.

“I would not say that we are ahead of schedule with the construction of the station. In some stages, yes, we are ahead of schedule but the headway was secured only at the preparatory stage. As far as main works are concerned, we pay primary attention to quality and control this very toughly,” said the Deputy Minister.

During the science-to-practice conference “Prospects of the development of nuclear power in Belarus” Mikhail Mikhadyuk said that a regular meeting of the working group supervising the construction of the Belarusian NPP will be held on 2 April. After day 1 of the exhibition AtomExpo Belarus 2014, which is underway in Minsk, two additional questions have been included in the agenda of the meeting. In particular, they pertain to the involvement of two suppliers in the NPP project in Belarus. “We saw their potential at the expo on 1 April,” said the Deputy Minister. He noted that at present one of the most pressing issues is the selection of equipment for the NPP, and therefore a number of tenders are held. According to Mikhail Mikhadyuk, the expo is not only a demonstration of cutting-edge solutions but also a place where companies can decide on their participation in the project.

Assessing AtomExpo Belarus 2014 Mikhail Mikhadyuk stressed that this year’s forum has brought together more participants than in previous years. “It is remarkable that the event continues today when we celebrate the Day of Unity of the Peoples of Belarus and Russia. The construction of the nuclear power plant in Belarus is the largest Belarus-Russia integration project,” he added.

The 6th international expo AtomExpo Belarus 2014 will run through 3 April. The expo will feature the nuclear suppliers conference Atomex Belarus. Its participants will discuss construction matters, supplies of equipment and the application of new technologies in the construction of the Belarusian nuclear power plant.