MINSK, 19 April (BelTA) – The construction of the Belarusian nuclear power plant (BelNPP) is proceeding as planned, Belarusian Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir Semashko said at the opening of the international expo and conference AtomExpo Belarus on 19 April, BelTA has learned.
“The construction of the nuclear power plant in Ostrovets is proceeding as planned. We expect that the first power-generating unit will be commissioned by year-end 2018, with the second one by 1 July 2020,” Vladimir Semashko said. The construction project is implemented with the participation of the Russian state corporation Rosatom.
“For Belarus, this is an important project in all respects as it represents our attempt to diversify energy sources. This is of utmost importance to us since we are dependent, first of all, on oil and gas,” the official noted.
Besides, Vladimir Semashko believes that the construction of the BelNPP will contribute to the country's technological and scientific development.
The national exhibition center BelExpo in Minsk is hosting the eighth edition of the international expo and conference AtomExpo Belarus from 19 to 21 April. The business program of the forum includes a conference with a plenary meeting and roundtables. The conference will discuss innovative technologies applied in various industrial branches, social acceptance of nuclear power, the development of nuclear infrastructure, building technologies, materials, and equipment for NPP construction, and cutting-edge equipment for NPPs and nuclear power industry.
Partaking in the exhibition and conference are the leading Russian and Belarusian companies showcasing their products and services for the nuclear power industry. Among them are ASE Group, Rosatom's TVEL Fuel Company, Atomenergoprom, Atomenergomash, Rusatom Service, Izhorskiye Zavody, Rosenergoatom Concern, Belenergo, Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant, Mogilevliftmash, Atomtech, Belaruskabel and others.
The international expo and conference AtomExpo Belarus is held on the initiative of the Energy Ministry of Belarus with the support of the Russian state corporation Rosatom. It has been organized by the Belarusian national exhibition center BelExpo and the Russian company Atomexpo.
The Belarusian nuclear power plant is a project to build an AES-2006 type nuclear power plant 18km away from Ostrovets, Grodno Oblast. The Belarusian nuclear power plant will have two power-generating units with the total output capacity of up to 2,400MW (2x1,200MW). In line with the general contract for building the nuclear power plant, the first power-generating unit is scheduled for commissioning in 2018, with the second one to go online in 2020.
