SOCHI, 14 May (BelTA) – Belarus is building its nuclear power plant in line with rules of the European Union and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Deputy Prime Minister of Belarus Vladimir Semashko made the statement when asked about Lithuania's stance on the Belarusian nuclear power plant project during the Atomexpo forum in Sochi on 14 May, BelTA has learned.
Vladimir Semashko noted: “We started following the nuclear energy usage rules of the European Union and the entire world right from the start. We also comply with all the IAEA recommendations.”
Belarus used European Union methods to subject its nuclear power plant to stress tests in order to evaluate the facility's resilience against external impacts. The national report on results of the stress tests was forwarded to the European Commission. A delegation of specialists visited Belarus in 2018 in order to hold onsite consultations. “They noted that we talk to them in a very adequate manner, that we've openly shown everything and told about everything,” stressed the deputy prime minister. The report of the European specialists is supposed to be ready in late June.
Vladimir Semashko also pointed out that as Belarus welcomed IAEA expert missions, the experts highlighted the successful Belarusian practices in the area of nuclear energy development and recommended them for adoption in other countries. According to the official, Belarus is first and foremost interested in operating a safe nuclear power plant.
“We are building the safest nuclear power plant there is,” concluded Vladimir Semashko.
The Belarusian nuclear power plant is being built using the Russian standard Generation III+ design AES-2006 near Ostrovets, Grodno Oblast. The first power-generating unit is scheduled for commissioning in 2019, with the second one to go online in 2020.
