Belarus, China busy implementing $1.5bn worth of energy projects

Since 2008 Belarus and China have been implementing a total of over $1.5 billion worth of energy industry products. The figures were voiced by Belarusian Energy Minister Vladimir Potupchik at the ceremony held on 3 March to place a commemorative stone at the 330kV substation Molodechno to mark the launch of the project to build the system to collect the electricity the Belarusian nuclear power plant will generate and feed it into the national power grid, BelTA has learned.

Estimated to cost $340 million, the project is different from the Belarusian-Chinese projects implemented up till now. Just like the nuclear power plant the project is designed to beef up the reliability of the national power grid in addition to enhancing the level of the national energy security.

North China Power Engineering Company (NCPE) is the general contractor for the project. The Belarusian Energy Minister praised the company’s performance during the implementation of a number of energy projects in Belarus — the modernization of cogeneration plants number 2 and 5 in Minsk, the construction of combined-cycle gas turbines for the Bereza and Novolukoml state district power plants and a solar power plant in Grodno Oblast.

In turn, Ambassador of China to Belarus Cui Qiming stressed that Belarusian-Chinese cooperation is gaining momentum in all branches of the national economy, in particular, in energy industry. “As a top company in China, NCPE sets an example for other Chinese companies regarding the implementation of successful cooperation projects with Belarus,” noted the Ambassador.

NCPE Director General and Chairman of the Board Liu Chaoan said that preparations were in progress to begin the construction of the system to collect electricity from the Belarusian nuclear power plant. The tender for delivering the equipment has been completed. The architectural design for the first phase of the link between the Novolukoml state district power plant and Borisov is ready and is getting evaluated by experts. The development of the working draft and design work on other construction steps are proceeding on schedule. “The project is one of the most important operations of the corporation abroad. The project’s implementation is paid the closest attention at all levels of the management and execution. We have sent a team of the most experienced specialists to the construction sites. We have set up a team for supporting the project in China,” said the company’s Director General.

In turn, Vladimir Shaternik, a representative of the customer company, Director General of the Grodno Oblast electrical company RUP Grodnoenergo, said that all the organizational matters and the financial matters had been wrapped up. Since the construction process will involve three oblasts of Belarus, all the principal matters of interaction between the electrical companies of the oblasts — Grodnoenergo, Vitebskenergo, and Minskenergo — have been addressed. According to Vladimir Shaternik, Belarusian delegations have already repeatedly visited the NCPE HQ in China and the company’s factories that make the equipment and materials that will be used for implementing the project in Belarus. “I can assure everyone that the construction project in Belarus will use the most advanced equipment and top-quality materials in order to ensure the reliable operation of the high-voltage power lines and the substations for delivering the electricity the Belarusian nuclear power plant will generate,” stressed the Grodnoenergo Director General.

The project to build the system to collect the electricity the Belarusian nuclear power plant will generate and connect the power plant with the national power grid provides for building 1,033km of 330kV overhead high-voltage power lines in Minsk Oblast, Grodno Oblast, and Vitebsk Oblast. As much as 672.4km of high-voltage power lines will be reconstructed. Four substations will be reconstructed and 330kV cells will be built in Minsk, Ross, Stolbtsy, and Smorgon. A new 330kV transformer substation will be built in Postavy, Vitebsk Oblast. The second auto transformer will be installed at the 330kV substation in Smorgon.

In November 2011 the Belarusian head of state authorized borrowing a loan from China on preferential terms to finance the project as well as holding a restricted participation tender among Chinese companies for the turn-key construction project with the maximum number of Belarusian companies involved. North China Power Engineering Company (NCPE) has been chosen to be the general contractor for the project. Belarusian construction and installation companies will have to perform at least 45% of the work involved in implementing the project.

On 8 June 2012 the Grodno Oblast electrical company RUP Grodnoenergo and NCPE signed the contract worth over $340 million for implementing the project. The allocated construction time is 60 months. The loan from the Export-Import Bank of China will cover 95% of the costs while Grodnoenergo will provide the rest.