Belarusian Energy Minister Viktor Karankevich announced that the second reactor at the Astravets nuclear power plant will be connected to the power grid in April, with a 40% increase in power. Work will continue sequentially from April to September to bring the nuclear power plant up to its rated capacity, with testing in a pilot operation. The entire nuclear power plant is scheduled to be commissioned in October 2023, in accordance with the commissioning schedules.
A joint project between Belarus and Russia
The Astravets nuclear power plant is the largest joint project between Belarus and Russia, and the first reactor has generated more than 12.5 billion kWh since its commissioning in November 2020. It has saved over $400 million by replacing over 3 billion cubic meters of gas. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko stressed the importance of safety and operational reliability of the nuclear power plant, saying that safety is a top priority in Belarus since the Chernobyl disaster. He also said that the Astravets nuclear power plant will have an annual economic impact of about $550 million on the country.
An ambitious project requiring a high level of security
The second reactor is currently at 98% capacity and preparatory work is underway to “start a chain reaction and bring the nuclear power plant to the minimum controllable power level” of 1% of the reactor’s power. However, President Lukashenko warned against compromising the quality of construction to meet a deadline, stressing that it was better to delay commissioning by six months or a year than to take unnecessary risks.
The Astravets nuclear power plant is equipped with two Russian VVER-1200 reactors. Once the two units are commissioned, the nuclear plant will produce about 18.5 TWh of electricity per year, equivalent to 4.5 billion cubic meters of natural gas, with an annual economic impact of about $550 million for the country.
Belarus, currently dependent on natural gas imports, has invested in nuclear power to diversify its energy supply and reduce its dependence on gas imports. Despite the complexity of the project, Belarus and Russia have emphasized the importance of safety and compliance with construction standards to ensure the safety of the nuclear power plant and its workers.
