Русский
Russia and Belarus plan to sign an agreement to build a third power unit at the Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant (BelNPP) by the end of this year, according to Belarusian Energy Minister Denis Moroz.
He stated that “There is an instruction from Belarusian President Lukashenko on the need for another unit at the Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant and on a more in-depth, detailed look at the issue of building another nuclear power plant, potentially in the Mogilev region.”
The Russian Energy Ministry and the Rosatom State Corporation have formed a working group to draft a framework agreement on the construction of a third unit at BelNPP, which is located in Ostrovets in the Grodno region.
Moroz said that “Work is underway to prepare this framework agreement. The technical parameters of the unit will be largely determined by how the energy sector and industry develop in Belarus and what the rates of electricity consumption will be. We plan that, like the existing units, the capacity of the third unit will be 1200 MW. I am convinced that in the near future we will reach certain understandings on the framework agreement, which will be signed at a high level. The task is to sign it by the end of 2026. Regarding a second nuclear power plant, today we see the Mogilev region as the most promising site for it. We are considering various configurations for this nuclear power plant. Together with the Academy of Sciences, our design institutes, and Rosatom, we are currently studying several aspects. First, the site where the plant could be located. Second, the technical parameters of this plant, taking into account the forecasts for increased electricity consumption in Belarus beyond 2040.”
The plant in Ostrovets consists of two Russian-designed VVER-1200 reactors and was built by Rosatom’s ASE Group. A Russian state loan of US$10 billion was used to finance the project.
The first power unit of the BelNPP was connected to the grid in November 2020, with the commercial launch in June 2021. The second was connected in May 2023 with a commercial launch in November that year. Belarus decided in November last year to build a third power unit at the plant that could be connected to the Belarus grid in 2035.
