Business news

BREST, 5 February (BelTA) - The World Bank will allocate more than $20 million for the construction of heating facilities running on local fuels in Brest Oblast, BelTA learned from Sergei Lobanov, Director General of the Brest Regional Housing and Utilities Administration.

Brest Oblast continues to convert the heating system to operate on local fuels. In 2015 local fuels accounted for 33.4% of the total fuel consumption mix in the region. This year the figure is expected to increase. The towns of Ivanovo and Baranovichi plan to build boiler houses fired on local fuels. For this purpose, the World Bank will allocate $22.2 million. Another Br15.1 billion will be assigned by the Brest Oblast Executive Committee.

"Tenders on these projects were already held. Practical work is in progress. We saved $8 million on the tenders and will direct this money to build two additional heat generating sources on local fuels,” Sergei Lobanov said. These two additional facilities will be built in Kobrin District and in the town of Baranovichi. They are scheduled to come on stream in 2017.

Significant investments will be spent on the water supply and sewage system in 2016. The Brest Oblast Executive Committee will channel Br37.9 billion into the construction of nine facilities. Around €21 million will be come as foreign loans and international grants. Utilities companies are expected to invest about Br12 billion in the development of the water supply and sewage networks.

"We seek to further reduce water loss. Having solved this task, we will be able to reach the cost recovery level in water supply and disposal services, without using subsidies from the budget,” Sergei Lobanov.

At today’s meeting the Brest Regional Housing and Utilities Administration reviewed the performance of the industry in 2015. In general, the industry did well. Thanks to the measures to save energy, reduce energy consumption per unit, decrease water and heat losses, the administration was able to save Br109 billion.