Expert: BelNPP meets all environmental requirements

The construction of the Belarusian nuclear power plant is in compliance with all environmental safety requirements, Chairman of the Environmental Initiative association Yuri Solovyov said during an online briefing on the website of the BelTA News Agency on 20 December.

“Speaking about environmental safety in the vicinity of the BelNPP construction site, I would like to say that the nuclear power plant is built in compliance with all the requirements indicated in the design documents. As you know, the BelNPP design was hailed by the IAEA as the world’s safest NPP design,” the expert said.

According to Yuri Solovyov, it is important that the resources and safety systems stipulated by the project should be delivered to the construction site in time. “The first three parts of the device meant to localize possible molten mass leaks from the active zone have been delivered to the construction site. This device is part of the passive security system,” he reminded.

In November 2013 the Ostrovets site saw the launch of concrete pouring operations to build the first power-generating unit of the Belarusian nuclear power plant. The Belarusian nuclear power plant will have two power-generating units with the total capacity of up to 2,400MW (1,200MW each). The Russian design AES-2006 was chosen to build the power plant. The design is fully compliant with international standards and IAEA recommendations. The Russian public joint-stock company OAO NIAEP – ZAO Atomstroyexport is the general designer and the general contractor for building the power plant. The timeline for implementing the project is stipulated by the general contract. The first power-engineering unit of the nuclear power plant is scheduled for launch in November 2018.