Belarusian nuclear station to save $1bn per annum

By commissioning two nuclear power-generating units with the output capacity of 1,170MW each Belarus will be able to substitute about 5 billion m3 of natural gas per annum and save about $1 billion by doing so. The information was released by Yevgeny Voronov, Director General of the Belarusian national electrical company Belenergo, during the Kontury program aired by the ONT TV Channel on 28 April, BelTA has learned.

The construction of the nuclear power plant will allow considerably improving the energy security of Belarus as well as improving ecological parameters. It will be a new impulse for the development of the intellectual and energy levels of the country, believes the executive.

According to the Belarusian Energy Ministry, preparations for building the two power-generating units are ahead of schedule at the nuclear power plant construction site. The housing and manufacturing infrastructure is being built. Earthwork is in progress to prepare foundation pits at the nuclear station construction site. By September 2013 all the 62 facilities of the industrial base should be ready. By that time the offsite facilities, networks and installations meant to enable the operation of the industrial base should be ready. The number includes water pipes to deliver drinking water, industrial water, and fire water, sewerage and pollution control facilities, warehouses to store metal structures and reinforcement bars. Pre-commissioning operations at these facilities are expected to begin in April.

In line with the previously published plans the concrete work at the construction site of the first power-generating unit will begin in July. Before that the expert evaluation of the nuclear power plant design will have to be completed and the license to build the power plant will have to be issued. The concrete work at the construction site of the second power-generating unit may begin by the end of the year, said the Energy Ministry.

At present over 1,120 workers are employed at the construction site of the Belarusian nuclear power plant. By the end of the year the number of construction workers will be increased up to 3,000. The number of workers to build the nuclear power plant will exceed 8,000 people during peak years.

The Belarusian nuclear power plant will have two power-generating units with the total capacity of up to 2,400MW. It will be built at the Ostrovets site in Grodno Oblast. The design AES-2006 has been chosen to build Belarus’ first nuclear power plant. The design meets international norms and recommendations of the International Atomic Energy Agency.