Viktor Karankevich
MOSCOW, 24 September (BelTA) – The world is going through a nuclear energy renaissance while the construction of the Belarusian nuclear power plant has taken care of Belarus’ energy security for years to come, BelTA learned from Deputy Prime Minister of Belarus Viktor Karankevich.
Viktor Karankevich said: “At present we see high demand for nuclear energy. Many countries are now revising and some are already adopting their own national energy programs, which provide for building [nuclear power plants] or for expanding the use of nuclear energy. In other words, the renaissance of development of nuclear energy is observed. Some countries that used to be against the development of nuclear energy have made a U-turn and now make statements or begin implementing their national programs on peaceful uses of nuclear energy for generating electricity.”
At present 416 nuclear reactors are used across the globe, with another 63 being built. According to IAEA projections, the output capacity of the nuclear power plants in the world will increase by at least a quarter by 2050.
The Belarusian nuclear power plant with two VVER-1200 reactors with the total output capacity of 2,400MW has been built according to the Russian design AES-2006. It is an evolutionary nuclear power plant design with third-generation water-moderated reactors with enhanced safety. They boast improved technical and economic parameters. A unique combination of active and passive safeguards is their key peculiarity.
The deputy prime minister stressed that Belarus cooperates with Rosatom not only in the field of nuclear energy or power engineering as a matter of principle. “We are talking about additive technologies, accumulator systems, nuclear medicine. A center for additive technologies will be opened in Belarus one of these days,” he added.
The deputy prime minister stressed that Belarus’ nuclear energy industry had made a huge contribution to the development of the country as a modern highly technological state and had opened up new opportunities for assimilating cutting-edge technologies in various areas. “The nuclear power plant of our own works for the benefit of the country’s economy. It is a modern reliable nuclear power plant that ensures the energy security of our country for decades to come,” Viktor Karankevich added.
The deputy prime minister recalled that in parallel with the construction of the Belarusian nuclear power plant projects had been implemented to link up the nuclear power plant with the country’s power grid, new high-voltage power transmission lines had been modernized and built, projects had been implemented to build electric boilers at major installations of the Belarusian power grid. On the whole, a lot of attention is getting paid to the modernization of the power grid. “Electricity consumption has been rising for five years now. This is why we need to enable conditions conducive to further increase in electricity consumption by commercial entities and by households. We are talking about the development of electric transport, electric consumption, about power-hungry manufacturing facilities,” he noted.
BelTA reported earlier that Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko is expected to go on a working visit to the Russian Federation on 25-26 September. The head of state will take part in the international forum World Atomic Week held under the theme From a New Technological Paradigm to a New Worldview.
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