Minister speaks about final stage in BelNPP construction

MINSK, 31 October (BelTA) – Belarusian Energy Minister Viktor Karankevich revealed details about the final stage of construction of the Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant as he spoke to the media after his report to Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko on the completion of the BelNPP construction and measures to increase the availability of electricity for house heating, BelTA has learned.

“The project of the Belarusian nuclear power plant construction is at the final stage,” the minister said. The first power unit has been put into operation and has already worked through two maintenance cycles. It was put into the second preventive maintenance on 6 October 2023.

All routine technical measures to commission the second power unit were fully completed on 14 October 2023. The unit operated at its rated capacity for 15 days, confirmed its characteristics and design parameters and is now in operation.

“Since the first power unit was put online, the plant has already generated 20.6 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity, which made it possible to replace 5.5 billion cubic meters of natural gas and reduce greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere - estimated at more than 9 million tonnes,” Viktor Karankevich said.

“The government has set up an acceptance commission headed by Deputy Prime Minister Piotr Parkhomchik,” he added. “The Emergencies Ministry granted the license for the operation of the second power unit on 24 October. Work is underway to obtain the necessary positive conclusions of the supervisory bodies. All the necessary documents will be handed over to the acceptance commission for the relevant decision in the near future.”

According to the minister, the BelNPP construction has given a powerful impetus to the development of other related industries and the expansion of the use of electricity. This includes, in particular, the development of electric vehicles and electric charging infrastructure. In Shklov District and Zhodino, for example, a pilot project will be implemented to convert public transport with internal combustion engines to electric buses.

The possibilities of using electricity for heating and hot water supply have been significantly expanded. The state has taken a number of incentive measures for this purpose, primarily tariffs and the possibility of reimbursing a part of citizens' expenses for the purchase of electric heating equipment or internal works for the use of electricity for heating and hot water supply.

As a result, in January-September 2023, the country's electricity consumption increased by 1.8 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity and amounted to 29.8 billion. Electricity consumption for heating and hot water supply amounted to more than 400 million kilowatt-hours, an increase of 1.3 times compared to the same period last year.