MINSK, 21 February (BelTA) – The Board of the Belarusian Emergencies Ministry has authorized issuing the license to build the second power-generating unit to the enterprise Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant, BelTA learned from representatives of the Nuclear and Radiation Safety Department (Gosatomnadzor) of the Belarusian Emergencies Ministry.

The decision was based on positive feedback from experts, who had examined the safety and compliance of the enterprise with requirements of the license. The license allows operations involving the use of nuclear energy and ionizing radiation sources with regard to the construction of a nuclear installation (the construction of the foundations for buildings and structures of the power-generating unit).

The expert evaluation of the documents that substantiate the nuclear and radiation safety of the Belarusian nuclear power plant has been organized by Gosatomnadzor. In line with the established procedure the expert evaluation was performed by the only Belarusian organization licensed to carry out expert evaluations in areas involving the use of nuclear energy and ionizing radiation sources. The organization is the state-run institution United Energy and Nuclear Research Institute Sosny of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus.

Gosatomnadzor specialists have verified the compliance of the enterprise Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant with requirements of the license and conditions inherent in the construction of nuclear installations.

The national unitary enterprise Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant was established in early 2014 by the relevant decree of the Belarus president via the reorganization of the state institution Directorate for Nuclear Power Plant Construction.

Construction workers started pouring concrete into the foundation of the facilities that will make up the first power-generating unit of the Belarusian nuclear power plant at the Ostrovets site in November 2013. The Belarusian nuclear power plant will boast two power-generating units with the total capacity of up to 2,400MW (1,200MW each). The Russian design AES-2006 has been chosen to build the power plant. The design is fully compliant with international standards and IAEA recommendations. The Russian merged company OAO NIAEP – ZAO Atomstroyexport is the general designer and the general contractor for building the power plant. The timeline for implementing the project is stipulated by the general contract. The first power-generating unit of the nuclear power plant is scheduled for launch in November 2018.