Astravets Nuclear Power Plant

Last updated

Astravets Nuclear Power Plant
Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant construction (2017) 1.jpg
The plant under construction in October 2017
Astravets Nuclear Power Plant
Official name
  • Беларуская атамная электрастанцыя
Country Belarus
Location Astravyets District, Grodno Region
Coordinates 54°45′40″N26°5′21″E / 54.76111°N 26.08917°E / 54.76111; 26.08917
StatusOperational
Construction began31 May 2012 [1]
Commission date 10 June 2021
Construction costUS$24 billion [2]
Owner(s)
    Nuclear power station
    Reactor type VVER-1200
    Reactor supplier Atomstroyexport
    Cooling towers2
    Thermal capacity2 × 3,200 MWt
    Power generation
    Units operational2 × 1,110 MW (net)
    Nameplate capacity 2,218 MW
    External links
    Website https://www.belaes.by/en/
    Commons Related media on Commons

    The Astravets Nuclear Power Plant (also called the Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant or Ostrovets Nuclear Power Plant) is a nuclear power plant located in the Astravyets District, Grodno Region in north-western Belarus. The power plant is built close to the Belarus-Lithuania border, being 40 kilometres (25 mi) east of the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius. The plant is powered by two 1194-MW VVER-1200 units supplied by Atomstroyexport, the nuclear equipment exporter branch of the Russian nuclear corporation Rosatom. The plant is owned by State Enterprise Belarusian NPP, which in turn is owned by the state-owned operator Belenergo. [3]

    Contents

    Initial plans of the plant were announced in the 1980s, but were suspended after the 1986 Chernobyl disaster. The project was revived by the Belarusian government to have the country become energy-independent due to the Russia-Belarus energy dispute in 2007. The power plant was controversial due to its location being in close proximity with Lithuania and the Lithuanian government has boycotted the power plant and established anti-radiation safety measures with its citizens. Construction of the first unit started on 8 November 2013 and the second on 27 April 2014. [4] [5] The plant entered commercial operation with Atomstroyexport transferring the first unit to Belenergo on 10 June 2021, becoming the first VVER-1200 unit to operate outside Russia. [6]

    History

    Planning

    In the 1980s there were plans to build a nuclear heating and power plant in Rudensk, about 50 kilometres (31 mi) south of Minsk. Following the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, these plans were halted. [7] 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. [7] 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. [12]

    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. [13] In June 2007, Russia offered a US$2 billion credit line for the purchasing of equipment from Russia's Power Machines Company. [12] [14]

    On 12 November 2007, a decree defining the organizations responsible for preparing the construction of the nuclear power plant was signed. [15] The Belarusian Security Council made the decision to construct a nuclear power plant on 15 January 2008. [16] 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. [17]

    The location of the construction site some 18 kilometres (11 mi) away from the town of Astravyets in Hrodna Voblast, 45 kilometres (28 mi) from Vilnius, Lithuania, [18] [19] was chosen on 20 December 2008. [1] Alternative sites were Chyrvo, Bykhaw , [20] and Kukshynava between Horki and Shkloŭ in Mahilyow Voblast. [21]

    In January 2009, it was decided that the nuclear power plant will be built by Atomstroyexport, the nuclear equipment exporter branch of the Russian nuclear corporation Rosatom and the Russian loan was agreed in February 2009. [22] [23] [24] [18] [4] The contract was signed in 2011. [25]

    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. [26]

    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. [27] 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". [28]

    The first nuclear concrete for Unit 1 was poured on 6 November 2013. [29] The construction of the second unit began 8 months later. Construction of each unit was expected to take about five years. [30]

    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. [31]

    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. [32] 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. [33]

    On 10 July 2016, the reactor vessel for Unit 1 was accidentally dropped from a height of 4 meters while being moved around the construction site. Rosatom eventually agreed to swap the vessel with one intended for the Kaliningrad Nuclear Power Plant. [34]

    Commissioning

    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. [35] These tests were completed in April 2020. [5] In February 2020, the plant was inspected by IAEA. [36] Fuel loading for the first unit started on 7 August 2020. [37] On 11 October 2020, Unit 1 achieved first criticality. [38] The reactor started supplying electricity on 3 November 2020 [39] and was officially connected to the grid on 7 November 2020. [40] Testing in January 2021 resulted in disconnection from the grid. [41] Astravets NPP was issued an operating license on 2 June and entered commercial operation 8 days later. [6]

    Criticality of unit 2 was first announced on 26 April 2022. [42] It started supplying electricity in May 2023 and entered commercial operation on 1 November 2023. [43]

    Technical description

    The nuclear power plant costs up to US$11 billion. [44] In addition, there are investments to upgrade the national power grid for power transmission from the nuclear power plant, [45] and the construction of an urban settlement for the power plant's workers. Repayment of the $10 billion loan would start no later than April 2021. 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%. [46] In 2020 Belarus requested an extension of the repayment period from 25 to 35 years. [46]

    The preparation, design and exploration works were overseen by a Directorate for the Construction of a Nuclear Power Plant, established under the Ministry of Energy. The Nuclear and Radiation Safety Department, part of the Emergencies Ministry, is acting as the state nuclear regulator and licensing authority. [15] 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 was 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. [15] Yelena Mironova is the Head of the project management service.

    Atomstroyexport was the contractor and supplier of the III generation VVER-1200 type reactors (AES-2006 model). [22] [24] [47] The first two reactors have the combined capacity of around 2400 MW. It is possible that two additional reactors will be built by 2025. [12]

    UnitTypeCapacityConstruction startOperation startNotes
    Belarusian 1 AES-2006 1194 MW8 November 201310 June 2021 [4] [5] [6]
    Belarusian 227 April 201413 May 2023 [5] [48]

    Opposition

    The nuclear power plant plans have raised several concerns. Civil society groups have in 2008 campaigned and collected signatures against the construction of a nuclear power plant in Belarus. [49] [50]

    In 2008 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. [51]

    Also in 2008 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]

    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. [52]

    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. [53]

    Lithuania is a critic of the power plant and in 2018 announced its plan to boycott it. [54] [55] [56]

    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. [57]

    In December 2021, investigative journalists, citing Cyber Partisans, announced that they had received documents where 18 thousand shortcomings of the first power unit were identified. [58]

    Incidents

    On 10 November 2020 the facility's output was suspended after several voltage transformers exploded. [59] Repairs were completed within nine days and the plant was consequently reconnected to the grid. [60]

    See also

    Related Research Articles

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Rosatom</span> Russian state-owned nuclear technologies company

    Rosatom, also known as Rosatom State Nuclear Energy Corporation, the State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom, or Rosatom State Corporation, is a Russian state corporation headquartered in Moscow that specializes in nuclear energy, nuclear non-energy goods and high-tech products. It was established in 2007 and comprises more than 350 enterprises, including scientific research organizations, a nuclear weapons complex, and the world's only nuclear icebreaker fleet.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Kola Nuclear Power Plant</span>

    The Kola Nuclear Power Plant, also known as Kolsk NPP or Kolskaya NPP, is a nuclear power plant located 12 km away from Polyarnye Zori, Murmansk Oblast in north-western Russia. If the floating nuclear power plant Akademik Lomonosov is excluded, it is the northernmost nuclear power plant housed in a fixed location structure.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">VVER</span> Soviet / Russian nuclear reactor type

    The water-water energetic reactor (WWER), or VVER is a series of pressurized water reactor designs originally developed in the Soviet Union, and now Russia, by OKB Gidropress. The idea of such a reactor was proposed at the Kurchatov Institute by Savely Moiseevich Feinberg. VVER were originally developed before the 1970s, and have been continually updated. As a result, the name VVER is associated with a wide variety of reactor designs spanning from generation I reactors to modern generation III+ reactor designs. Power output ranges from 70 to 1300 MWe, with designs of up to 1700 MWe in development. The first prototype VVER-210 was built at the Novovoronezh Nuclear Power Plant.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Nuclear power in Russia</span> Overview of nuclear power in Russia

    Russia is one of the world's largest producers of nuclear energy. In 2020 total electricity generated in nuclear power plants in Russia was 215.746 TWh, 20.28% of all power generation. The installed gross capacity of Russian nuclear reactors is 29.4 GW in December 2020.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Belene Nuclear Power Plant</span>

    The Belene Nuclear Power Plant is an abandoned nuclear power plant 3 km from Belene and 11 km from Svishtov in Pleven Province, northern Bulgaria, near the Danube River. It was intended to substitute four VVER-440 V230 reactors of the Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant that were decommissioned as a prerequisite for Bulgaria to join the European Union.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Leningrad Nuclear Power Plant</span> RBMK and VVER nuclear power plant in Sosnovy Bor, Leningrad Oblast, Russia

    Leningrad Nuclear Power Plant ) is a nuclear power plant located in the town of Sosnovy Bor in Russia's Leningrad Oblast, on the southern shore of the Gulf of Finland, some 70 kilometres (43 mi) to the west of the city centre of Saint Petersburg.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant</span> Nuclear power plant in India

    Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant is the largest nuclear power station in India, situated in Kudankulam in the Tirunelveli district of the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Construction on the plant began on 31 March 2002, but faced several delays due to opposition from local fishermen. KKNPP is scheduled to have six VVER-1000 reactors built in collaboration with Atomstroyexport, the Russian state company and Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL), with an installed capacity of 6,000 MW of electricity.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Kursk Nuclear Power Plant</span> Russian nuclear power plant

    The Kursk Nuclear Power Plant is a nuclear power plant located in western Russia on the bank of the Seym River about 40 kilometers west of the city of Kursk. The nearby town of Kurchatov was founded when construction of the plant began. The plant feeds the grid for Kursk Oblast and 19 other regions.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Kalinin Nuclear Power Plant</span> Nuclear power plant

    The Kalinin Nuclear Power Station is located about 200 kilometres (120 mi) north west of Moscow, in Tver Oblast near the town of Udomlya. Owner and operator of the plant is the state enterprise Rosenergoatom. Kalinin Nuclear Power Station supplies the majority of electricity in the Tver region and additionally serves Moscow, Saint Petersburg, and Vladimir. In 2005 the nuclear power station fed 17.3 TWh (62,000 TJ) into the grid. The station's four 150 metres (490 ft) tall cooling towers are local landmarks. They were manufactured in 96 concrete sections each.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Tianwan Nuclear Power Plant</span> Nuclear power plant located in Lianyungang, Jiangsu Province, China

    Tianwan Nuclear Power Plant is a nuclear power plant (NPP) on the coast of the Yellow Sea, approximately 30 kilometers east of downtown Lianyungang, Jiangsu Province, China. The plant's owner is Jiangsu Nuclear Power Corporation, a joint venture with majority owner a subsidiary of China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC).

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Novovoronezh Nuclear Power Plant II</span> Nuclear power plant in Voronezh Oblast, Russia

    Novovoronezh Nuclear Power Plant II is a Russian nuclear power plant with two 1200 MW pressurized water reactors (VVER) located in Voronezh Oblast. The power plant is built on the same site as the present Novovoronezh Nuclear Power Plant.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant</span> Power station in Bushehr County, Iran

    The Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant is a nuclear power plant in Iran 1,200 kilometres (750 mi) south of Tehran, between the fishing villages of Halileh and Bandargeh along the Persian Gulf.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Kaliningrad Nuclear Power Plant</span>

    The Kaliningrad Nuclear Power Plant (also referred as Baltic Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) or Baltiiskaya NPP, Russian: Калининградская атомная электростанция; Калининградская АЭС [] or Балтийская АЭС []) is a nuclear power plant under construction 13 kilometres (8.1 mi) south-east of Neman, in Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia. It is seen as a counter-project to the (later scrapped) plan to build the Visaginas nuclear power plant in Lithuania and is considered not only as an energy, but also as a geopolitical project. Originally intending to commission the reactors in 2016 and 2018, construction was temporarily stopped in June 2013 for the project to be redesigned for lower power output after neighbouring countries showed no interest in importing its electricity. However, the downgrade was later discarded. No export partners materialised as of 2021 and the project remains in stand-by.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Khmelnytskyi Nuclear Power Plant</span> Nuclear power plant in Ukraine

    The Khmelnytskyi Nuclear Power Plant is a nuclear power plant in Netishyn, Khmelnytskyi, Ukraine. The plant is operated by Energoatom. Two VVER-1000 reactors are operational, each generating 1000 MW (net) of electricity.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Smolensk Nuclear Power Plant</span> Nuclear power plant in Smolensk Oblast, Russia

    Smolensk Nuclear Power Plant is a nuclear power station in Russia. It is located in the Smolensk region, in Desnogorsk province, approximately 100 kilometres (62 mi) from Smolensk, 115 kilometres (71 mi) from Bryansk and 320 kilometres (200 mi) from Moscow. Smolensk Nuclear Power Plant is the biggest power generating station in the north-western region of the united energy system of the Russian Federation. Smolensk NPP has an outer appearance similar to that of Chernobyl NPP units 3-4, as both are later generation RBMKs.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Rostov Nuclear Power Plant</span>

    Rostov Nuclear Power Plant, also known as Volgodonsk Nuclear Power Plant, is a Russian nuclear power plant located on the left bank of the Tsimlyansk reservoir in the lower stream of the Don River near Volgodonsk, Rostov Oblast.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Astravyets</span> Town in Grodno Region, Belarus

    Astravyets is a town in Grodno Region, Belarus. It serves as the administrative center of Astravyets District. As of 2023, it has a population of 14,805.

    Vietnam is considering developing nuclear power for peaceful purposes based on modern, verified technology since 1995, and firm proposals surfaced in 2006. In November 2016 Vietnam suspended its nuclear power plans. In 2022 industry and trade minister Nguyen Hong Dien announced that developing nuclear power is an “inevitable trend” for Vietnam, and will help the country to become carbon neutral by 2050.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant</span> Nuclear power plant in the stage of commissioning in Turkey

    The Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant is a large nuclear power plant in Turkey under construction located in Akkuyu, Büyükeceli, Mersin Province. It is expected to generate around 10% of the country's electricity when completed.

    References

    1. 1 2 "Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant Project: Timeline". BELTA. 4 June 2014. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
    2. Česnakas, Giedrius; Juozaitis, Justinas (July 2017). "Nuclear Geopolitics in the Baltic Sea Region" (PDF). Atlantic Council GIEDRIUS ČESNAKAS AND JUSTINAS JUOZAITIS. JSTOR   resrep03497.
    3. "Belarusian nuclear power plant – About us". www.belaes.by (in Russian). Retrieved 17 June 2021.
    4. 1 2 3 "Belarusian 1". Power Reactor Information System (PRIS). International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Retrieved 1 January 2021.
    5. 1 2 3 4 "Hot tests completed at Ostrovets unit 1". World Nuclear News . 16 April 2020. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
    6. 1 2 3 "Ostrovets unit 1 enters commercial operation : New Nuclear – World Nuclear News". www.world-nuclear-news.org. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
    7. 1 2 "Belarus: Nuclear Power Reactors in Belarus". Nuclear Threat Initiative. Archived from the original on 14 October 2008. Retrieved 3 August 2008.
    8. "Nuclear Power Reactor Details – MINSK-1 (Dual Purpose)". IAEA. Archived from the original on 4 June 2011. Retrieved 12 March 2011.
    9. "Nuclear Power Reactor Details – MINSK-2". IAEA. Archived from the original on 4 June 2011. Retrieved 12 March 2011.
    10. 1 2 "Video: Scientists come out against construction of nuclear power plant in Belarus". Belarusian News. 11 March 2008. Archived from the original on 13 May 2008. Retrieved 3 August 2008.
    11. "Lukashenka against NPP construction Belarus". Nuclear Threat Initiative. 2 May 2002. Archived from the original on 5 July 2008. Retrieved 3 August 2008.
    12. 1 2 3 "Emerging Nuclear Energy Countries". World Nuclear Association. 4 March 2011. Archived from the original on 19 March 2011. Retrieved 12 March 2011.
    13. "Belarus to 'build nuclear plant'". BBC News . 11 October 2007. Retrieved 3 August 2008.
    14. "Belarus nuclear plant gets Russian credit". World Nuclear News. 12 June 2007. Retrieved 21 April 2012.
    15. 1 2 3 "Belarus gets organized for nuclear plant". World Nuclear News. 15 November 2007. Archived from the original on 24 September 2008. Retrieved 3 August 2008.
    16. "Belarus makes final decision to build nuclear power plant". ITAR-TASS. 15 January 2008. Archived from the original on 19 December 2012. Retrieved 21 February 2008.
    17. "Belarus adopts nuclear energy law". World Nuclear News. 25 June 2008. Retrieved 3 August 2008.
    18. 1 2 "Nuclear power plant construction project in line with international norms". BELTA. 15 January 2009. Archived from the original on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 10 February 2009.
    19. Белорусскую АЭС могут построить в Гродненской области [Belarusian nuclear power plant may be built in the Grodno Voblast] (in Russian). Belarusian News. 3 March 2008. Retrieved 3 August 2008.
    20. Мирный атом выгонит бабу Ганну из дому [Peaceful atom drives baba Anna out from home] (in Russian). Belarusian News. 18 April 2007. Retrieved 3 August 2008.
    21. 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. 11 December 2007. Retrieved 3 August 2008.
    22. 1 2 "Russian company to build Belarusian nuclear power plant". Power-Gen Worldwide. PennWell Corporation. 23 January 2009. Retrieved 10 February 2009.
    23. "Russia to provide loans to Belarus for construction of nuclear power plant". Belarusian News. 6 February 2009. Archived from the original on 8 April 2009. Retrieved 19 February 2009.
    24. 1 2 Natallya Karotkaya (30 July 2008). "Russia's Atomstroiexport confirms participation in bidding for nuclear power plant". Belarusian News. Archived from the original on 8 December 2012. Retrieved 3 August 2008.
    25. "Basic agreement with Russia on NPP construction to be signed in Q1 2011". BELTA. 20 January 2011. Archived from the original on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 12 March 2011.
    26. "Foundation pit for nuclear power plant starts being dug in Astravets district". BelaPAN. 13 June 2012. Retrieved 13 July 2013.
    27. "Independent journalist not let to nuclear power plant's construction site". Charter 97. 21 March 2013. Retrieved 13 July 2013.
    28. "Nuclear power plant in Astravets: shooting forbidden". Belsat TV. 26 April 2013. Archived from the original on 16 May 2013. Retrieved 13 July 2013.
    29. "First Belarus reactor under construction". World Nuclear News. 7 November 2013. Retrieved 7 November 2013.
    30. "First concrete for second Belarus unit". World Nuclear News. 3 June 2014. Retrieved 3 June 2014.
    31. Lietuva nesuteiks Baltarusijai galimybės naudotis Kruonio HAE
    32. "Russia-made reactor vessel for Astravets NPP arrives in Belarus". Belsat TV. 22 February 2016. Retrieved 25 February 2016.
    33. Plugatarev, Igor (12 January 2016). "В Белоруссию привезли первый реактор для строящейся АЭС" [The first reactor for the nuclear power plant under construction has been delivered to Belarus]. Nezavisimaya Gazeta (in Russian). Retrieved 25 September 2020.
    34. "Rosatom replaces reactor vessel that technicians dropped at its Belarusian plant". 2 May 2017.
    35. "Prelaunch Operations In Progress As BelNPP First Unit Begins Hot Trials". BelarusFeed. 11 December 2019. Archived from the original on 28 December 2020. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
    36. "IAEA Delivers INIR Mission Reports to Belarus and Egypt". www.iaea.org. 24 September 2020. Retrieved 10 November 2020.
    37. "Fuel loading starts at Belarusian reactor". World Nuclear News . 7 August 2020. Retrieved 8 August 2020.
    38. "Ostrovets plant begins physical start-up". energycentral.com. 12 October 2020. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
    39. "Belarus grid-connects its first nuclear unit". World Nuclear News . 3 November 2020. Retrieved 4 November 2020.
    40. Nagel, Christina (7 November 2020). "Belarus' erstes AKW geht ans Netz" [Belarus' first atomic power plant is on the grid]. Tagesschau (in German). Archived from the original on 8 November 2020.
    41. "Belarus's nuclear plant goes offline after new mishap". 18 January 2021.
    42. "На Белорусской АЭС запустили второй энергоблок". RIA Novosti . 26 April 2022. Retrieved 26 April 2022.
    43. "Second Belarus unit enters commercial operation". World Nuclear News. 2 November 2023. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
    44. "Belarusian nuclear power plant construction to cost up to $11bn". BELTA. 12 October 2017. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
    45. "Belarusian nuclear power plant's power output system to commission in 2018". BELTA. 12 October 2017. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
    46. 1 2 "Finance discussed as unit 1 of Belarus NPP prepares for start-up". Nuclear Engineering International. 14 February 2020. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
    47. "Belarus To Announce Nuclear Power Planet Tender Soon". Space Daily. 29 June 2007. Retrieved 3 August 2008.
    48. "Second unit of Belarus nuclear plant connected to grid". World Nuclear News, 15 May 2023. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
    49. "Group in Horki, Mahilyow region, said to have collected more than 2,500 signatures against nuclear power plant project". Belarusian News. 13 June 2008. Archived from the original on 15 June 2008. Retrieved 3 August 2008.
    50. "Campaigners to collect signatures against construction of nuclear power plant in Cherykaw district". Belarusian News. 21 February 2008. Archived from the original on 3 December 2012. Retrieved 3 August 2008.
    51. "Opposition youths to campaign against Russia's involvement in construction of Belarusian nuclear power plant". Belarusian News. 11 May 2008. Archived from the original on 16 May 2008. Retrieved 3 August 2008.
    52. "Complaint about Belarus NPP under Espoo Convention". Resource & Analysis Center "Society and Environment". Retrieved 12 March 2011.
    53. "Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters". UNECE . Retrieved 12 March 2011.
    54. "Lithuania not in talks with Belarus on electricity from N-plan".
    55. "Lithuania upset over soon-to-open Belarus nuke plant". ABC News. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
    56. "Belarus cranks up 1st nuclear plant; Lithuania is fearful". news.yahoo.com. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
    57. "Belarus picked site for Ostravyets NPP in violation of convention – Espoo". Delfi . 7 February 2019. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
    58. Дарья Бернштейн (1 December 2022). "Почему Белорусскую АЭС так надолго отключают?". Deutsche Welle (in Russian).
    59. "Belarusian Nuclear Plant Stops Electricity Output Three Days After Opening Ceremony". RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty. 10 November 2020. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
    60. "BelNPP reconnected to grid after equipment replacement". Belarusian Telegraph Agency. 19 November 2020. Retrieved 27 November 2020.