MINSK, 24 February (BelTA) – The Energy Ministry of Belarus is calling for a politics-free dialogue on the Belarusian nuclear power plant (BelNPP), Belarusian Energy Minister Vladimir Potupchik told reporters ahead of a meeting of the Energy Ministry board on 24 February, BelTA has learned.
“We are totally open to a normal dialogue. We would not want to see the process politicized, and we will do our best to convince the international community that the nuclear power plant is being built in compliance with all the IAEA recommendations and the commitments assumed by Belarus under international conventions and agreements,” Vladimir Potupchik said.
The minister noted that Belarus is exporting electricity to Lithuania. The country provides mutual emergency assistance to the Lithuanian power system. “We have never associated these activities with any kind of politics. I think that all the issues regarding the BelNPP construction that arise can be solved calmly,” Vladimir Potupchik added.
The Belarusian nuclear power plant is a project to build a VVER-1200 type nuclear power plant 18km away from Ostrovets, Grodno Oblast. The BelNPP will have two power-generating units with the total output capacity of up to 2,400MW (2x1,200MW). The first power-generating unit is scheduled for commissioning in 2018. The second one is to go online in 2020.
