English

Construction of nuclear power plant is economically and environmentally feasible, says deputy energy minister

The construction of a nuclear power plant is economically and environmentally feasible, Deputy Energy Minister Mikhail Mikhadzyuk said at a news conference in Minsk on Monday.

The facility will allow Belarus to reduce imports of natural gas by five billion cubic meters, cut the country’s electricity production costs and ensure an annual decrease of seven to 10 million tons in greenhouse gas emissions, said Mr. Mikhadzyuk.

As for negotiations about Russia’s possible loan to fund the construction of the nuclear power plant, the deputy minister said that an interstate agreement on the matter would be signed soon, following the completion of relevant internal procedures in Belarus and Russia.

Vital Kulik, Belarus` deputy minister of environmental protection, said that the plant, to be built near the Lithuanian border, would have “no negative impact on Lithuania’s territory” in the event of an accident, citing a report by experts of the Institute of Geochemistry and Environmental Protection of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine.

He said that the Belarusian ministry received the institute`s findings at the end of last week and was set to notify of them the Implementation Committee of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE)`s Espoo Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context and neighboring countries.
“They are one more plus in favor of the development of the nuclear industry in the country,” he said.

He said that Lithuania, in particular the country`s foreign ministry and the mayor of Vilnius, strongly opposed the Belarusian nuclear project. //BelaPAN