Russia has agreed in principle to lend Belarus $6 billion to construct its first nuclear power station. The deal, negotiated of course before the disastrous events in Japan, was given official sanction on 16 March at a meeting between the two country’s leaders Russian prime minister Vladimir Putin and his Belarusian counterpart Mikhail Myasnikovich. “A relevant agreement could be signed within a month,” Mr Putin told reporters following the round of talks.
The agreement is part of a series of bilateral energy deals signed in Minsk on 15 March. Russian contractor Atomstroiexport will do most of the construction work. The Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom estimates the construction costs at $6-7 bln.
According to the agreement, the first unit of the Belarusian NPP is to go into operation in 2017, while the second unit should be up and running in 2018. The plant should have an aggregate generating capacity of 2400 MW.
