Ostrovets to attract investors for social infrastructure projects

The development of the trade and services sector in the Belarusian city of atomists, Ostrovets, will be sponsored by investors, Architecture and Construction Minister of Belarus Anatoly Nichkasov said following the national seminar held in Ostrovets, Grodno Oblast on 7 August to discuss construction and production management, BelTA has learnt.

According to the minister, the initiative comes, first of all, from Belarusian people and organizations. The attraction of investment will help streamline state budget expenditure. Apart from the first residential houses for the nuclear station builders, the construction of a school, a kindergarten and other social infrastructure objects is underway.

According to Anatoly Nichkasov, the construction of utilities networks and roads is the first thing to do. Then go residential houses and services facilities. The minister stated that the organization of the construction of houses as well as the premises of the industrial base of the station, the quality of construction works has been hailed by the participants of several international seminars organized by Rosatom.

“Our Russian partners gave high assessment of our work, recommending the Ostrovets experience as an example for other nuclear power plants under construction or planned for the construction in various countries. Head of the Russian state corporation Sergei Kiriyenko has already invited our construction organizations to take part in the construction of NPPs in other countries,” Anatoly Nichkasov said.

In his words, it is worth mentioning that Ostrovets, the city of atomists, has not been risen from scratch. Thanks to the measures taken in the country to develop small towns, this town was in a good condition before the nuclear station construction began. “The heart of the city has been formed long ago. The Russian partners were surprised to see a modern and comfortable town when they first came here. The general plan, however, envisages an increase in its population more than three times and making the town even more comfortable and pleasant for living,” the minister added.