Rosatom says ready to aid Belarus in construction of 2nd nuclear plant

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
2 Sep 2023 19:39

Rosatom is confident that nuclear energy can help Belarus meet its energy needs in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way.

The Russian Atomic Energy Agency sign is displayed at the World Nuclear Exhibition in Le Bourget, France, June 28, 2016. (AFP)

Rosatom, the Russian state nuclear corporation, has offered to help Belarus build a second nuclear power plant if the Belarusian government makes a formal request, Stanislav Levitsky, director of Rosatom's country office in Belarus, said on Saturday.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said in August that he was considering the "crazy idea" of building a second nuclear power plant in the country's east.

"We are always happy to lend a helping hand, but based on a clear need from Belarus. Taking into account our excellent cooperation ties and the good synergy achieved during the implementation of the BelNPP [Belarusian nuclear power plant] project, we will be ready to do this. But it is up to the [Belarusian] republic to decide first," Levitsky told reporters at the opening of the Science Festival in Minsk.

Rosatom is confident that nuclear energy can help Belarus meet its energy needs in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way.

"Nuclear power has a global [positive] impact on the environment. We strive to contribute to the achievement of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. We believe it is nuclear energy that will 'pull' [the world] out of problems," Levitsky added.

Rosatom has already developed a detailed plan for cooperation with Belarus in the nuclear sector, as well as in other areas such as non-energy and non-atomic projects. The plan has been sent to the Belarusian authorities through diplomatic channels for their review.

According to Levitsky, the Russian corporation primarily proposes to carry out continuous work in the development of nuclear medicine, ecology, and digitalization. They also propose to conduct joint research on the potential of additive technologies and composite materials.

He added that Rosatom is still in talks with Belarus about a possible agreement for a nuclear research reactor project. The project was first mentioned in April, and it would need to be based on a feasibility study in order to be approved.

The Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant (BelNPP), also known as the Astravets Nuclear Power Plant, is located in the Grodno region of northwestern Belarus, near the border with Lithuania. It is powered by two Russian-made VVER-1200 reactors and has a total capacity of 2,400 megawatts. The plant has a total capacity of 2,400 megawatts and began commercial operation in June 2021 and May 2023, respectively.