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31.07.2012

Belarus hopes to expedite preparation of NPP construction documents

MINSK, 31 July (BelTA) – The Energy Ministry of Belarus hopes to speed up the preparation of construction documents for the country’s first nuclear power plant, Energy Minister Alexander Ozerets told media on 30 July.

According to the minister, Belarus and Russia have signed an intermediate contract to issue necessary documents to launch works on the NPP foundation pit which began on 31 May. “All these works will be included into the construction documents that are to be issued in 2013,” Alexander Ozerets said. The general contract envisages May as the date for issuing such documents. “We are asking the Russian side to bring it forward to January-February. In that way we will be able to undergo the state expert review much quicker,” he said.

Speaking of the benefits which the nuclear power plant might bring Belarus, Alexander Ozerets noted that the project will reduce natural gas consumption by nearly 5 billion cubic meters and decrease greenhouse gas emissions considerably.

With its own NPP Belarus will be able to sell electricity abroad. Speaking about potential consumers, Alexander Ozerets noted: “We should consider countries which face deficit in electrical energy. The main thing here is that we should be able to export electricity to those countries. For this we will have to construct additional power lines.”