Belarus Chooses Contractor to Build Nuclear Power Plant

It is most likely that construction of a nuclear power plant in Belarus will become a widely integrated project with the participation of both foreign corporations and domestic companies. Such an opinion was expressed by Mikhail Myasnikovich, Chairman of the Presidium of the National Academy of Sciences, at the press conference in Minsk.

It is most likely that construction of a nuclear power plant in Belarus will become a widely integrated project with the participation of both foreign corporations and domestic companies. Such an opinion was expressed by Mikhail Myasnikovich, Chairman of the Presidium of the National Academy of Sciences, at the press conference in Minsk.

Commenting upon the offers made by the potential suppliers of the reactor he noted that the Russian party didn’t rule out the possibility of other corporations’ participation in the NPP construction. “Our plans call for the participation of domestic companies as well. It is one of the conditions which will be taken into account when choosing the supplier,” he said.

In addition to that, Mikhail Mikhadyuk, Deputy Minister of Energy in Belarus, reported that besides such companies as AREVA (France, Germany), Westinghouse-Toshiba (the USA, Japan) and state corporation on atomic power “Rosatom” (Russia), all of which have sent their replies with collaboration offers, there appeared one more applicant. Belarusian Ministry of Energy received an offer from Chinese Guandun Nuclear Power Corporation to cooperate in the sphere of nuclear power development.

“China has 20-year experience in construction and operation of NPP that is why we will consider the offer of the Chinese party. The offer includes rendering of services as well as equipment supply, added M. Mikhadyuk.

According to him, Westinghouse-Toshiba’s reply reads that the company has a NPP project which meets Belarusian requirements, yet collaboration is feasible only after an intergovernmental cooperation agreement on peaceful uses of atomic energy is concluded. The signing process can take several years, though.

M. Mikhadyuk also noted that “Rosatom’s” reply reads the possibility to look into the issue of probable funding of the project. “Other companies make no such offers,” said Deputy Minister.

He stressed that at present all offers and variants are being considered.

It is worth mentioning that the matters of nuclear power in Belarus will be regulated by the Law “On users of atomic energy” as well as by the law on radiation safety of population which is planned to be passed at the autumn session of parliament.

When elaborating the law “On users of atomic energy”, the standards of international law as well as the laws of the countries with operating nuclear power plants (Russia, Ukraine, Bulgaria, etc) were used, reported M. Mikhadyuk.