Belarus
 

As of 31 December 2022

Belarus has two VVER-1200 reactors, located at Ostrovets, about 120 km northwest of Minsk. These reactors were the first VVER-1200s to be built outside of Russia. Unit 1 was connected to the grid in November 2020 and unit 2 in May 2023.

Before the startup of the reactors, Belarus’s electricity demand was met almost entirely by gas-fired generation, with most of the gas imported from Russia. When both units are fully commissioned, the plant should produce about 18.5 TWh of electricity each year, representing just under half of Belarus’s total electricity requirements, and reducing annual demand for gas by 4.5 billion cubic metres.

In February 2023 the government announced plans to create an organization for radioactive waste management, which would implement a system of long-term storage and disposal of radioactive waste.

Figure Be1. Annual electricity output (TWh) and age of reactors (years) at time of generation

Figure Be2. Average capacity factor of reactors in Belarus

Figure Be3. Emissions avoidance through use of nuclear generation in Belarus

WNN Links

Belarus plans to build radioactive storage facility 'by 2030': : World Nuclear News - 23 February 2023

Second unit of Belarus nuclear plant connected to grid : World Nuclear News - 15 May 2023