Concrete pouring for Belarusian nuclear station in progress

Concrete pouring into the foundation of the first power-generating unit of the Belarusian nuclear power plant at the Ostrovets site began on 6 November, BelTA learned from Mikhail Filimonov, Director of the Nuclear Power Plant Construction Directorate.

“We have received authorization from the state department for the monitoring and oversight of the civil engineering industry and the construction of the Belarusian nuclear power plant has begun today,” noted the official.

Work is now in progress to pour concrete into the foundation of installations of the first power-generating unit in line with the approved schedule and the design documents, he specified.

On 2 November Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko signed decree No. 499 on building the Belarusian nuclear power plant. The decree authorized the general contractor — the Russian company ZAO Atomstroyexport — to start building the Belarusian nuclear power plant.

Belarus has already completed preparations required to begin the nuclear power plant construction, including within the framework of international commitments. The infrastructure required to build the nuclear power plant has been created near the construction site. The design documents have been developed and approved by Council of Ministers resolution No. 457 of 30 September 2013. The customer — the Nuclear Power Plant Construction Directorate — has been licensed to perform activities involving the use of nuclear energy and ionizing radiation sources with regard to the construction of nuclear installations.

The Belarusian nuclear power plant will have two power-generating units with the total capacity of up to 2,400MW (1,200MW each). It will be built at the Ostrovets site in Grodno Oblast. The Russian design AES-2006 has been chosen to build the power plant. The design is fully compliant with international standards and IAEA recommendations. The Russian public joint-stock company OAO NIAEP – ZAO Atomstroyexport is the general designer and the general contractor for building the power plant. The first power-engineering unit of the nuclear power plant is scheduled for launch in 2018, with the second one to go online in July 2020.

Belarus and Russia signed the general contract to build the Belarusian nuclear power plant in July 2012. The cost of building the installation is primarily covered by a state export loan granted by Russia. In line with the relevant intergovernmental agreement the loan can provide up to $10 billion for 25 years to cover 90% of the cost of every contract between the Russian company ZAO Atomstroyexport and the Belarusian state institution Directorate for Nuclear Power Plant Construction.