First Nuclear Power Plant in Belarus

Belarus is going to launch its first Nuclear Power Plant

Belarus, a country in Europe, is preparing to launch its first Nuclear Power Plant to supply load to Belarus. Russian company Astravets Nuclear Power plant has begun to load fuel to its first two reactors. Construction of the plant started in 2011. It expects to use the plant by the end of the year. Construction of pipeline connection will start in October.
Russian state nuclear agency (RSNA) build this power plant and Moscow gave $10 billion loans for 25 years to the project. But Lithuania, whose capital Vilnius is just 50 km away, is opposing the project.
"threat to our state's national security, public health and environment" president of Lithuania Gitanas Nauseda said on Friday.

Safety fears of Neighbors

Energy Minister of Lithuania said he had warned the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). VVilniusalready banned all the electricity imports from the plants and calling it concerns about safety and national security. Also, Estonia and Lativa are considering rejecting power imports from Russia, as well. Lithuania, Estonia and Lativa are moving forwards to unbound themselves from Soviet-era common power system by 2025.

Safety demand for a new nuclear power plant in Belarus

Belarus already experienced the neighbour Ukraine's Chernobyl disaster in 1986. A quarter of Belarus was contaminated by the disaster. Belarus denies all the statements on risk and threat by the nuclear power plant. They also said all safety requirement is fulfilled. Rosatom says the plant "fully meets post-Fukushima demands ", referring to Japan's 2011 Nuclear accident, also said "international norms and IAEA recommendations".

Belarus has a plan to add 1.2-gigawatt VVER-1200 reactor to the country's power system in the fourth quarter of the year with 2 numbers of the cooling tower. Plan of construction of the second reactor will be meet in 2022 and double the power by 2.4 GW.

The ministry said the one-third of the electricity demand of Belarus will be meet after starting generation, replacing 4.5 billion ton of Natural gas per year. The ministry also said that it will reduce the greenhouse gas emissions to the environment by 7 million tons annually.