Russia builds Belarus nuclear plant to its own loss – Putin

December 19, BPN. Russia continues to build the Astraviec Nuclear Power Plant “to its own detriment,” Russian President Vladimir Putin said at the beginning of talks with Alaksandr Łukašenka in Minsk on December 19.

“The first unit is working, and it replaces […] about 4.5 billion cubic meters of gas. […] We could supply additional gas, but instead the power plant is operating, and the amount of electricity generated corresponds to 4.5 billion cubic meters of gas that Gazprom could supply, but no longer supplies, to the Belarusian market,” Putin said.

“We are ready to further develop this project, work and build power units,” he said. He added that it was crucial to “create an industry, train national staff and develop science.”

Belarus builds the nuclear power plant near Astraviec, Hrodna region, using Russian funds and Russian reactor VVER-1200. The general designer and general contractor is the ASE engineering company, the parent organization of Rosatom’s engineering division.

Pilot operation of the first unit began in November 2020, and commercial operation in June 2021. The second unit’s commissioning has been postponed several times. Officials say that it is scheduled to be launched in Q1 2023.