ENERGO: Belarus plans second unit for Ostrovets NPP in 2022

Belarus plans to commission the second unit for its Ostrovets (aka Astravets) nuclear power plant (NPP) in 2022, Belarus' Energy Minister Viktor Karankevich said during the Belarusian energy and ecology forum Energy Expo 2021 on October 12, BelTA reports.  

The first unit of the controversial power station, which was built and financed by Russia, went online at the start of this year and has been exporting record amounts of power to Ukraine and Lithuania during a cold snap.  

The power plant already produces more power than the small republic needs and the state hopes to export to its neighbours. However, both Ukraine and Lithuania have said they want to cut power ties with Belarus and integrate with the European system instead.  

Work on the second unit has already started. A hot functional test was completed at the second unit this autumn. The main equipment and process systems of the reactor unit were checked for operating capacity, reports BelTA.  

“Plans are in place to load fresh nuclear fuel into the reactor core of the BelNPP second unit before the end of the year. The fuel was delivered in April and passed the incoming inspection. The power unit is planned to be commissioned in 2022,” Karankevich said.

The first power unit was connected to the power grid on October 4. “At present it is running at its nominal capacity of 1,170 MW. Electricity is supplied to all regions of the country,” the minister said.

The first unit of the Belarusian NPP has so far generated almost 4bn kWh of electricity.