Manufacturing base of Belarusian nuclear station earmarked for completion in September

In September 2013 at the construction site of the Belarusian nuclear power plant it is necessary to complete the construction of all the 62 facilities of the manufacturing base and the offsite networks and infrastructure that make the operation of the manufacturing base possible. The information was released by the press service of OAO Nizhny Novgorod Engineering Company Atomenergoproject (NIAEP) after a session of the operations center in charge of building the nuclear power plant. The session was chaired by Belarusian Energy Minister Mr Alexander Ozerets, BelTA has learned.

The priority facilities include offsite networks and installations for auxiliary needs, drinking water and fire water supply, a wing for special metal structures and a cold storage warehouse, storm sewage, domestic sewage, and industrial sewage. There are plans to start adjusting and startup procedures at these facilities in April, Mr Yuri Pustovoi, OAO NIAEP’s director for building the Belarusian nuclear power plant, said at the session.

President of OAO NIAEP, the management organization of ZAO Atomstroyexport Mr Valery Limarenko noted at the session that the overall progress of the nuclear power plant construction is very rapid and is ahead of the schedule by several months.

In turn, Belarusian Energy Minister Alexander Ozerets underlined that the schedule for 2013 is very intense because the government had issued instructions to get three times as much work done as in 2012.

1 February 2013 saw the start of the excavation of the foundation pit for the second power-generating unit. Work is now in progress at two power-generating units at the same time.

Representatives of the Belarusian government took part in the meeting as well as the Nuclear Power Plant Construction Directorate (the buyer of the facility), the united company OAO NIAEP – ZAO Atomstroyexport (the general designer of the power plant and the general contractor), Belarusian subcontractors, and the Grodno Oblast administration.

Participants of the session examined the construction site and discussed the progress in building the manufacturing base and the power plant itself.

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 design AES-2006 has been chosen for Belarus’ first nuclear power plant. The design is fully compliant with international norms and IAEA recommendations.

The united company OAO NIAEP – ZAO Atomstroyexport (ZAO ASE) was founded in March 2012 by the relevant resolution of the state corporation for nuclear energy Rosatom. Thus, OAO NIAEP became the managing company of ZAO Atomstroyexport. The united company comprises a chain of offices set up in 11 countries to supervise the construction of facilities, including in Belarus.