Belarus approves construction of new nuclear unit at Ostrovets plant

Belarus has selected the Ostrovets plant as the site for its new nuclear unit. The decision was based on the site’s familiarity and the readiness of its infrastructure for further construction. The country’s first and only nuclear power plant currently has two VVER-1200 units, commissioned in the past 5 years. Belarus still plans to build a second nuclear power plant in the east of the country, with the aim of transforming local industry.

The Belarusian presidential office published the outcomes of a meeting between President Alexander Lukashenko and government representatives. The main outcome was approval for construction of the country’s third nuclear unit at the Ostrovets nuclear power plant. It currently has an installed capacity of 2.2 GW (net) and supplies more than a quarter of the country’s electricity generation to the grid.

“The construction of the nuclear power plant has not only strengthened our energy security, but also set the course for Belarus’s further development as a technologically advanced state. We have secured a source of affordable and clean energy for decades to come and achieved economic and environmental change,” Alexander Lukashenko said at the meeting.

Rosatom began construction of two units at the first Belarusian nuclear power plant in 2013 and 2014, supplying the VVER-1200 units. Ostrovets 1 and 2 entered commercial operation in 2021 and 2023. Since being commissioned, the plant has generated 53 TWh of electricity and freed the country from dependence on imports. The Belarusian presidential office says electricity consumption in the country has risen by 6 TWh over the past 5 years, reaching 43.3 TWh in 2024.

Development of the country’s eastern region

The government identified a need to build a new nuclear power source, but alongside using the existing nuclear power plant in the country’s northwest, it also considered building a new nuclear power plant in the east. At the meeting, it was noted that construction of the first plant had a very positive impact on its surrounding area.

The population of the town of Ostrovets has nearly doubled to 15,000, and the plant has become a sought-after employer. The site employs around 3,000 specialists, a third of whom are younger than 32. This is also making a significant contribution to the area’s expected future economic development.

“We would also like to transform the eastern region into a highly developed part of Belarus. That means new jobs, investment, innovative projects and new technologies,” the president added.

The Belarusian government will therefore continue to explore the possibility of building another nuclear unit in Mogilev Region, particularly if electricity consumption in Belarus continues to rise. Most of the public also support further nuclear construction. The presidential office says support for nuclear energy has risen from 60% to 80% since the country’s first nuclear power plant was commissioned.