Astravets Nuclear Power Plant

The Astravets Nuclear Power Plant is a multi-reactor nuclear power plant in Astravyets District, Grodno Region, Belarus. Initial plans of the plant were announced in the 1980s, but were suspended after the 1986 Chernobyl disaster.[2] The drive for revival of the project was fueled by the Russia-Belarus energy dispute in 2007.[3] The plant consists of two nuclear reactors built between 2016 and 2020, and probably two more reactors by 2025.[4] The reactors were supplied by Atomstroyexport.[5][6][7]

Astravets Nuclear Power Plant
The plant under construction in August 2016
CountryBelarus
LocationAstravyets District, Grodno Region
Coordinates54°45′40″N 26°5′21″E
StatusUnder construction
Construction beganJuly 2011 (2011-07)[1]
Commission date2021 (planned)
Construction costUS$10 billion
Nuclear power station
Reactor typeVVER-1200
Reactor supplierAtomstroyexport
Cooling towers2
Thermal capacity2 × 3,200 MWt
Power generation
Units under const.2 × 1,194 MW (gross)
Nameplate capacity2,218 MW
External links
Websitebelarusian nuclear power plant
CommonsRelated media on Commons

History

Planning

In the 1980s there were plans to build a nuclear heating and power plant in Rudensk, some 50 kilometres (31 mi) south of the vicinity of Minsk. Following the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, these plans were halted.[2] The plant was to comprise two VVER-1000 nuclear reactors, designed to provide both electricity and heat for the city of Minsk. The reactors would each have had a power rating of 900 MW net and 940 MW gross capacity.[8][9]

The nuclear initiative was revitalized after Belarus gained independence from the Soviet Union. On 22 December 1992, Belarus announced its intention to build nuclear power plants and started a program to examine 15 possible sites. It was foreseen that the first unit of 500-600 MW would be commissioned by 2005, and additional units with a combined capacity of 1,000 MW by 2005 and 2010. However, no decision concerning site or reactor type was made.[2] In 1999, the Government of Belarus adopted a nuclear moratorium, but preparations for the construction of a nuclear power plant were carried on.[10]

On 2 May 2002, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko stated that Belarus would not construct a nuclear power plant on its territory, but was interested in purchasing nuclear power from Russia, and in the possibility of constructing a Belarus-owned reactor at the Smolensk nuclear power plant in Russia.[11] However, in mid 2006, the Government of Belarus approved a plan for the construction of an initial 2000 MWe nuclear power plant in the Mahilyow Voblast using pressurized water reactors technology.[4]

After the Russia-Belarus energy dispute in 2007, Lukashenko re-declared that to ensure national energy security, Belarus needed to build its own nuclear power plant.[3] The Belarusian Security Council made the decision to construct a nuclear power plant on 15 January 2008.[12] According to the presidential decree signed in January 2008, the first reactor of the nuclear power plant was to be operational by 2016, and the second one by 2018.[13][14] The Nuclear Power Act, covering the design and construction of nuclear facilities, the security, safety, and physical protection of such facilities, and their regulation (and also prohibiting the production of nuclear weapons and other nuclear explosives), was adopted by the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of Belarus on 25 June 2008.[15]

On 27 February 2008, Iran announced that it is ready to assist Belarus with the construction and operation of a nuclear power plant in areas such as funding, personnel training, the sharing of experience, the installation of equipment, and training in operating such equipment.[16]

On 1 July 2009, a Ukrainian NGO sent a complaint to the Implementation Committee of the Espoo Convention alleging numerous violations of the Espoo Convention. In particular, the complaint argues that Belarus is in violation of the requirements of the convention by pre-defining two key alternatives of the nuclear power plant construction – location and no-action alternative, as well as by not establishing an environmental impact assessment procedure that permits public participation.[17] In December 2009 European ECO Forum Legal Focal Points submitted a complaint to the Compliance Committee of the Aarhus Convention challenging the legality of NPP construction due to violation of public participation rights provided by the Aarhus Convention.[18]

The contract for the Astravets NPP was signed in 2011 with Rosatom.[19]

Construction

In June 2012 the construction of the foundation pit for the nuclear power plant started near the small village of Shulniki in Astravets District, Hrodna Region, some 16 km (10 mi) from the Lithuanian border.[20]

Both in March and April 2013 journalists were not permitted to visit the construction site. In March 2013 Radio Svaboda's correspondent Mikhail Karnevich received official permission to make a report about the construction of the power plant. But when he came to Astravets, he found out that he would not be able to visit the construction site.[21] In April 2013 journalists Ales Barazenka and Nastaśsia Jaūmien were detained in Astravets where they were filming the nuclear power plant construction and were asked an "intelligible explanation to the fact of filming the construction works".[22]

The first nuclear concrete for Unit 1 was poured on 6 November 2013.[23] The construction of the second unit began 8 months later. Construction of each unit is expected to take about five years.[24]

In November 2015, Lithuania informed that there is no possibility to reserve power of the Kruonis Pumped Storage Plant, aside from emergency case, for the Belarusian nuclear power plant.[25]

In February 2016, the 330-tonne, 13-meter high, 4.5 meters diameter, reactor vessel (which was the first reactor produced by Atommash after a 29-year hiatus) was delivered to the site.[26] According to press reports, it took Atommash 840 days (2 years and 4 months) to build the reactor; it was shipped from the plant on 14 October 2015. After being transported by barge over the Tsimlyansk Reservoir, the Volga-Don Canal, the Volga–Baltic Waterway, and the Volkhov River to Novgorod, the reactor was then shipped by a special rail car to the Astravyets railway station near the plant.[27]

In December 2019, the first unit started hot trials, checking the reactor unit under hot conditions, but with dummy fuel rods placed in the reactor.[28] The tests were completed in April 2020.[29] Fuel loading for the first unit started on 7 August 2020.[30]

Location

The location of the construction site was chosen on 20 December 2008.[31] The nuclear power plant is being built some 18 km away[32] from the town of Astravets in Hrodna Voblast, 45 kilometres (28 mi) from Vilnius, Lithuania.[7][33] Alternative sites were Chyrvo, Bykhaw ,[34] and Kukshynava between Horki and Shkloŭ in Mahilyow Voblast.[35]

Reactors
UnitTypeCapacityConstruction startOperation startNotes
Belarusian 1AES-20061194 MW8 November 20132021 [36][29]
Belarusian 2AES-20061194 MW27 April 20142022 [29][37]

Russian Atomstroyexport is the contractor to build the nuclear power plant. Atomstroyexport has also supplied the III generation VVER-1200 type reactors (AES-2006 model).[5][6][38] The first reactor is scheduled for commissioning in December 2019, with the second one to go online in July 2020.[39] The first two reactors will have the combined capacity of around 2400 MW. It is possible that two additional reactors will be built by 2025.[4]

The nuclear power plant is expected to cost up to US$11 billion.[40] In addition, there are investments to upgrade the national power grid for power transmission from the nuclear power plant,[41] and the construction of an urban settlement for the power plant's workers.

Organization

On 12 November 2007, a decree defining the organizations responsible for preparing the construction of the nuclear power plant was signed. In accordance with the decree, a Directorate for the Construction of a Nuclear Power Plant was established under the Ministry of Energy. This directorate oversees the preparation, design and exploration works. The Nuclear and Radiation Safety Department, part of the Emergencies Ministry, is acting as the state nuclear regulator and licensing authority.[42]

Scientific support for the project is provided by the United Power & Nuclear Research Institute Sosny of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus. The state-owned power engineering industry research and design institute Belnipienergoprom is the general designer of the plant and operates as the project management company, negotiating and signing contracts with suppliers, carrying out feasibility studies and preparing tender documents.[42] Yelena Mironova is the Head of the project management service.

Finance

In June 2007, Russia offered a US$2 billion credit line for the purchasing of equipment from Russia's Power Machines Company.[4][43] In January 2009, it was decided that the nuclear power plant will be built by Atomstroyexpoert and the Russian loan was agreed in February 2009.[5][44] Half the loan was at a fixed 5.23% interest rate and the other half at the six-month Libor dollar rate plus 1.83%. Repayment of the $10 billion loan would start no later than April 2021.[45]

In 2020 Belarus requested an extension of the repayment period from 25 to 35 years.[45]

Opposition

The nuclear power plant plans have raised several concerns. Civil society groups have campaigned and collected signatures against the construction of a nuclear power plant in Belarus.[46][47] Young members of the Belarusian People's Front have campaigned against possible Russian involvement in the construction of the plant and urged the Belarusian government to award the contract to build the nuclear power plant to a company based in a country other than Russia.[48] A group of Belarusian scientists founded a movement for a nuclear-free Belarus, claiming that the Belarusian government started preparations for the construction of the nuclear power plant before a moratorium adopted in 1999 was expired. The moratorium expired on 14 January 2009.[10]

Lithuania is a critic of the power plant and intends to boycott it.[49] Major concern is safety of the nuclear plant, where several serious incidents already happened during the construction of it.[50]

On 7 February 2019, the Meeting of the Parties to the Espoo-Convention decided that Belarus had violated the convention in choosing a construction site for its nuclear power plant. Reviewing violations by Belarus has attracted the international community's attention.[51]

See also

References
  1. Строительство Белорусской АЭС: хронология событий
  2. "Belarus: Nuclear Power Reactors in Belarus". Nuclear Threat Initiative. Archived from the original on 2008-10-14. Retrieved 2008-08-03.
  3. "Belarus to 'build nuclear plant'". BBC News. 2007-10-11. Retrieved 2008-08-03.
  4. "Emerging Nuclear Energy Countries". World Nuclear Association. 2011-03-04. Archived from the original on 19 March 2011. Retrieved 2011-03-12.
  5. "Russian company to build Belarusian nuclear power plant". Power-Gen Worldwide. PennWell Corporation. 2009-01-23. Retrieved 2009-02-10.
  6. Natallya Karotkaya (2008-07-30). "Russia's Atomstroiexport confirms participation in bidding for nuclear power plant". Belarusian News. Archived from the original on 2012-12-08. Retrieved 2008-08-03.
  7. "Nuclear power plant construction project in line with international norms". BELTA. 2009-01-15. Archived from the original on 2011-07-06. Retrieved 2009-02-10.
  8. "Nuclear Power Reactor Details - MINSK-1 (Dual Purpose)". IAEA. Archived from the original on 2011-06-04. Retrieved 2011-03-12.
  9. "Nuclear Power Reactor Details - MINSK-2". IAEA. Archived from the original on 2011-06-04. Retrieved 2011-03-12.
  10. "Video: Scientists come out against construction of nuclear power plant in Belarus". Belarusian News. 2008-03-11. Archived from the original on 2008-05-13. Retrieved 2008-08-03.
  11. "Lukashenka against NPP construction Belarus". Nuclear Threat Initiative. 2002-05-02. Archived from the original on 5 July 2008. Retrieved 2008-08-03.
  12. "Belarus makes final decision to build nuclear power plant". ITAR-TASS. 2008-01-15. Archived from the original on 2012-12-19. Retrieved 2008-02-21.
  13. "Construction of nuclear power plant will become guaranty of national security for Belarus — expert". Regnum. 2008-02-12. Archived from the original on 22 June 2008. Retrieved 2008-08-03.
  14. Korovenkova, Tanya (2008-02-01). "Lukashenka gives his official OK to construction of nuclear power plant". Belarusian News. Archived from the original on 2012-12-03. Retrieved 2008-08-03.
  15. "Belarus adopts nuclear energy law". World Nuclear News. 2008-06-25. Retrieved 2008-08-03.
  16. Rakhley, Maryna (2008-02-27). "Iran is ready to provide assistance to Belarus in construction of nuclear power plant, ambassador says". Belarusian News. Archived from the original on 2008-03-03. Retrieved 2008-08-03.
  17. "Complaint about Belarus NPP under Espoo Convention". Resource & Analysis Center "Society and Environment". Retrieved 2011-03-12.
  18. "Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters". UNECE. Retrieved 2011-03-12.
  19. "Basic agreement with Russia on NPP construction to be signed in Q1 2011". BELTA. 2011-01-20. Archived from the original on 2011-07-06. Retrieved 2011-03-12.
  20. "Foundation pit for nuclear power plant starts being dug in Astravets district". BelaPAN. 2012-06-13. Retrieved 2013-07-13.
  21. "Independent journalist not let to nuclear power plant's construction site". Charter 97. 2013-03-21. Retrieved 2013-07-13.
  22. "Nuclear power plant in Astravets: shooting forbidden". Belsat TV. 2013-04-26. Archived from the original on 2013-05-16. Retrieved 2013-07-13.
  23. "First Belarus reactor under construction". World Nuclear News. 7 November 2013. Retrieved 2013-11-07.
  24. "First concrete for second Belarus unit". World Nuclear News. 3 June 2014. Retrieved 2014-06-03.
  25. Lietuva nesuteiks Baltarusijai galimybės naudotis Kruonio HAE
  26. "Russia-made reactor vessel for Astravets NPP arrives in Belarus". Belsat TV. 2016-02-22. Retrieved 2016-02-25.
  27. В Белоруссию привезли первый реактор для строящейся АЭС (The first reactor for the nuclear power plant under construction has been delivered to Belarus), 2016-01-12
  28. BelNPP First Unit Begins Hot Trials, Prepares For Launch
  29. "Hot tests completed at Ostrovets unit 1". World Nuclear News. 16 April 2020. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
  30. "Fuel loading starts at Belarusian reactor : New Nuclear - World Nuclear News". www.world-nuclear-news.org. Retrieved 2020-08-08.
  31. http://atom.belta.by/en/dosie_en/view/belarusian-nuclear-power-plant-project-ntimeline-208/
  32. https://www.power-technology.com/projects/belarusian-nuclear-power-plant-ostrovets/
  33. Белорусскую АЭС могут построить в Гродненской области [Belarusian nuclear power plant may be built in the Grodno Voblast] (in Russian). Belarusian News. 2008-03-03. Retrieved 2008-08-03.
  34. Мирный атом выгонит бабу Ганну из дому [Peaceful atom drives baba Anna out from home] (in Russian). Belarusian News. 2007-04-18. Retrieved 2008-08-03.
  35. Белорусскую АЭС могут построить под самым боком у России [Belarusian nuclear power plant may be built a very sideways of Russia] (in Russian). Belarusian News. 2007-12-11. Retrieved 2008-08-03.
  36. "Belarusian 1". Power Reactor Information System (PRIS). International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). 2014-06-02. Archived from the original on 21 December 2013. Retrieved 3 June 2014.
  37. https://lt.sputniknews.ru/economy/20200725/12731227/Nazvana-data-vvoda-pervogo-bloka-BelAES-v-promyshlennuyu-ekspluatatsiyu.html
  38. "Belarus To Announce Nuclear Power Planet Tender Soon". Space Daily. 2007-06-29. Retrieved 2008-08-03.
  39. Construction of Belarusian nuclear power plant stays on schedule http://eng.belta.by/economics/view/construction-of-belarusian-nuclear-power-plant-stays-on-schedule-111040-2018/
  40. http://eng.belta.by/economics/view/belarusian-nuclear-power-plant-construction-to-cost-up-to-11bn-105815-2017/
  41. http://www.atom.belta.by/en/belaes_en/view/belarusian-nuclear-power-plants-power-output-system-to-commission-in-2018-9261/
  42. "Belarus gets organized for nuclear plant". World Nuclear News. 2007-11-15. Archived from the original on 24 September 2008. Retrieved 2008-08-03.
  43. "Belarus nuclear plant gets Russian credit". World Nuclear News. 2007-06-12. Retrieved 2012-04-21.
  44. "Russia to provide loans to Belarus for construction of nuclear power plant". Belarusian News. 2009-02-06. Archived from the original on 2009-04-08. Retrieved 2009-02-19.
  45. "Finance discussed as unit 1 of Belarus NPP prepares for start-up". Nuclear Engineering International. 14 February 2020. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
  46. "Group in Horki, Mahilyow region, said to have collected more than 2,500 signatures against nuclear power plant project". Belarusian News. 2008-06-13. Archived from the original on 2008-06-15. Retrieved 2008-08-03.
  47. "Campaigners to collect signatures against construction of nuclear power plant in Cherykaw district". Belarusian News. 2008-02-21. Archived from the original on 2012-12-03. Retrieved 2008-08-03.
  48. "Opposition youths to campaign against Russia's involvement in construction of Belarusian nuclear power plant". Belarusian News. 2008-05-11. Archived from the original on 2008-05-16. Retrieved 2008-08-03.
  49. https://en.delfi.lt/central-eastern-europe/lithuania-not-in-talks-with-belarus-on-electricity-from-n-plan.d?id=78985151
  50. https://euobserver.com/opinion/138079
  51. https://en.delfi.lt/business/belarus-picked-site-for-ostravyets-npp-in-violation-of-convention-espo.d?id=80308063
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.