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13 June 2017, 17:09

Semashko: Belarus' economy will benefit from nuclear power plant project

MINSK, 13 June (BelTA) – Belarus' economy will benefit from the nuclear power plant in Ostrovets, Belarus Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir Semashko told the media on the sidelines of the 7th session of the Meeting of the Parties to the Espoo Convention, BelTA has learned.

Vladimir Semashko noted that gas accounts for 95% of the electricity production in the country today. Once the NPP is launched, 27-28% of electric power will be produced by the nuclear plant. This will help Belarus diversify its energy sources. “Nuclear energy is cheaper than that produced by burning natural gas,” the vice premier said.

Moreover, Belarus is developing solar and wind power projects, hydroelectric engineering. The hydroelectric stations in Vitebsk and Polotsk are to be launched soon, Vladimir Semashko said. “All this is an alternative to hydrocarbons. Our decision to build the nuclear power plant was an absolutely correct and conscious one,” he noted.

When selecting the design for its nuclear power plant, Belarus examined many options and chose the Russian proposal. This is the most advanced and reliable project, which combines active and passive security systems, said Vladimir Semashko.

The Belarusian nuclear power plant is a project to build a new-generation nuclear power plant with two VVER-1200 type reactors (1,200MW each) 18km away from Ostrovets, Grodno Oblast. The first power-generating unit is scheduled for commissioning in 2019, with the second one to go online in 2020.

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