Russia, Belarus Agree to Construction of Ostrovets Nuclear Power Plant

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources Europe (Galway, Ireland)--Following several delays, Russia and Belarus have signed a contract for the construction of the first nuclear power plant in Belarus. AtomStroyExport (Moscow, Russia), a subsidiary of the Russian Federation's state nuclear corporation Rosatom, will build two nuclear reactors with a total power capacity of 2,400 megawatts (MW) near the town of Ostrovets, in the western Belarusian region of Grodno.

The plant will be constructed under Russia's NPP-2006 project, which was designed by the Atomenergoproekt company and incorporates four independent safety systems and more than 100 active and passive security systems. Although Atomenergoproekt says it is the world's best and safest system, several European countries have protested against the project due to safety and environmental concerns.

Belarus and Lithuania have posed counter questions to each other over environmental concerns relating to the construction of the Lithuanian Visaginas and the Belarusian Ostrovets nuclear power projects. During consultations with Lithuania, Belarusian Deputy Energy Minister Mikhail Mikhadyuk reported: "Lithuania still has not given answers to Belarus about the results of the environmental impact assessment of its future nuclear power plant." Mikhadyuk outlined the openness of all preparatory works for the construction of Belarus' project, which were supported by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Belarus discussed with the European Commission and IAEA the issue linked with Lithuania's complaints against the location of the Belarusian nuclear power plant.

The Belarusian Ministry of Nature and Environmental Protection considers Lithuania's complaints against the location of the nuclear power plant as a politically charged measure. A ministry official pointed to the fact that Lithuania plans to build its nuclear power plant at the Visaginas site, which is 2.3 kilometres from the border with Belarus. "Lithuania protests against the site in the Ostrovets district, which is only 30 kilometres from the Belarusian-Lithuanian border," he said. "However, Vilnius plans to build its nuclear power plant 2.3 kilometres from the border with Belarus and believes that it's okay."

Belarus plans to begin the construction process in 2012. The power plant's first generating unit is expected to go online in 2017 and the second in the following year. For additional information, see January 25, 2011, article - Belarus and Russia to Sign Nuclear Agreement

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