You're reading: Belarus may continue to import electricity after first nuclear power plant reactor launch

MINSK - Belarus may continue to import electricity to 2020, after the launch of a nuclear power plant, if it makes economic sense.

This stipulation is included in the government program for the
development of Belarusian industrial potential to 2020, which was
recently approved by the Council of Ministers. Interfax has a copy of
the program.

“The planned development of energy sources will cover the anticipated
demand for electricity to the volume of 39.3 billion kilowatts per hour
in 2015 and 41.8 billion kW/h in 2020 through generation at Belarusian
generating sources, which does not exclude the possibility of importing
electricity if it makes economic sense,” the document says.

The program says that by the end of 2020 the strategic objectives in
the production and distribution of electricity, gas, steam and hot water
will increase the efficiency and reliability of the energy system
through the modernization and development of generating sources.
Obsolete generating capacity will be decommissioned and the fuel and
energy system balance diversified through the development of nuclear
power, and renewable energy sources. The program envisages an investment
project to build and launch an NPP with 2,340 megawatt capacity.
Earlier it was reported that the first reactor would be launched in 2018
and a second in 2020. The document says that to increase the efficiency
of production of electric and thermal energy, Belarus will build modern
combined heat and power plants, including two units with 400 megawatt
capacity at the Lukomlskoi and Berezovskoi power plants. These projects
will reduce fuel consumption in the production of electricity for
Belenergo 10% in 2015 compared to 2010 (under comparable conditions) and
15% in 2020.

Construction of local sources with capacity of 245 megawatts at the
basis of co-generation plants, is planned, including with the use of
local types of fuel, as well as maximum cost-efficiency in the
development of energy sources using local fuel and energy resources. By
the end of 2020 Belarus plans to build and launch 160 energy sources
from local types of fuel with overall capacity of 32.6 megawatts, hydro
power plants with capacity of around 100 megawatts, wind power plants
with 300 megawatt capacity, solar energy installations, biogas complexes
and plants using solid domestic waste.

The use of nuclear power, local types of fuel and renewable sources
of energy will enable the replacement of around 7 billion cubic meters
of natural gas annually.

Belarus imports electricity from Russia and Ukraine and average annual imports fluctuate at around 5 billion kilowatt hours.

The Belarusian government earlier approved a program for the
development of the Belarusian energy system to 2016. The document says
with new efficient generating capacity the country could soon start
exporting electricity. The Belarusian Energy Ministry, which drafted the
program, estimates that average annual exports may reach 3 billion to 5
billion kilowatt hours at below average European prices.