Opinions & Interviews

Lukashenko: Belarus can build 85-90% of BelNPP’s third unit on its own

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 MINSK, 17 November (BelTA) –Belarusian specialists are capable of building 85-90% of the third power unit for the Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant (BelNPP) independently, sourcing the main components from Russia, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko said as he met with Governor of Russia’s Rostov Oblast Yury Slyusar on 17 November, BelTA has learned.

The head of state noted that the construction of a new nuclear power plant had been discussed with the Russian partner, Rosatom. “We decided to build а third unit and engage in a dialogue on the construction of a second nuclear power plant, again in the east [of Belarus],” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.

“If we build a second nuclear power plant in the southeast of Belarus... perhaps the southwest of Russia will need it too. Anything is possible,” the head of state added.

The Belarusian leader added that he had discussed the matter with Russian President Vladimir Putin in a telephone conversation on 15 November. “Vladimir Vladimirovich and I discussed this issue the day before yesterday and agreed to continue the discussion,” he stated.

According to Aleksandr Lukashenko, Vladimir Putin supported the initiative to build a third power unit. “We are ready to build the third unit. The president has absolutely no objection – I feel and know his support. The head of Rosatom is also very supportive of it. Of course, they are interested in this,” he noted. “Especially since we are 85-90% ready to build this plant ourselves. And for the engineering and the reactor we can turn to Russians. We will get the main components from Russia, and we know how to do everything else. The Russians taught us how to do it during the construction of the first plant.”

Speaking about the expertise of Belarusian specialists, Aleksandr Lukashenko pointed out that they are assisting the Russians in constructing nuclear power plants abroad. Specifically, Belarusian specialists are working on the construction of nuclear power plants in Hungary and Egypt. “Today, Russia has a personnel shortage, just like we do. But we have these specialists, so about 3,000 of them are working alongside your people on these projects. You are the ones who transferred the technology to us and taught us how to do this,” he emphasized.

As previously reported by BelTA, at a meeting on 14 November to discuss the BelNPP performance, electricity consumption, and proposals to create new nuclear power capacities, a decision was made to build a third power unit at the BNPP in Ostrovets. Concurrently with this project, site surveys will be conducted in Mogilev Oblast, where a decision may be made to build additional nuclear capacity due to rising electricity consumption.

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