Construction of power grid linkup for Belarusian nuclear station to begin in January

The project to build the system to collect the electricity that the Belarusian nuclear power plant will generate and the link between the power plant and the rest of the power grid is supposed to begin in January 2014, BelTA learned from Stanislav Skovorodtsev, Deputy Director General for Capital Construction of the Grodno Oblast electrical company Grodnoenergo.

The project to build the external power supply networks as part of the nuclear power plant’s infrastructure is designed to run for five years. It will be implemented step by step, with 23 phases scheduled for the period. The first part of the project is supposed to be finished by December 2017. Specialists of the power grid design company Belenergosetproect are busy developing the design specifications and estimates. The documents will be used to determine the type, the number and parameters of the equipment and materials that the project will need.

The project envisages the construction of over 1,000km of 330kV overhead high-voltage power lines in Minsk Oblast, Grodno Oblast, and Vitebsk Oblast. As much as 600km of high-voltage power lines will be reconstructed and 890km of fiber optic cables will be laid. A new 330kV transformer substation will be built in Postavy, Vitebsk Oblast. Four 330kV substations in Ross and Smorgon, Grodno Oblast will be reconstructed in addition to a 220kV substation in Stolbtsy, Minsk Oblast, and a 330kV open-type-bus-and-switch arrangement at cogeneration plant No. 4.

According to Grodnoenergo, capital outlays as part of the project implementation will exceed $340 million, including $110 million for buying the necessary equipment and materials. North China Power Engineering Company (NCPE) has been chosen to be the general contractor for the project. BelTA reported earlier that plans have been made to use a $323.8 million tied credit line from the Export-Import Bank of China (95% of the costs) to implement the project.

Grodnoenergo acts as the customer of the construction project. In line with the contract signed by Grodnoenergo and NCPE Belarusian construction and installation companies will have to perform at least 45% of the work involved in implementing the project.