MINSK, 10 March (BelTA) – Belarus has entered the practical phase of the nuclear power plant construction project, Deputy Energy Minister of Belarus Yuri Rymashevsky told media at the opening of the AtomExpo Belarus 2010 on 10 March.

Now energy industry regulations are being worked out in Belarus, vigorous preparations for building the nuclear power plant are in progress in Ostrovets, specialists are being trained at universities. “Homes, roads and other facilities for the people that will operate the nuclear power plant are being built,” said Yuri Rymashevsky.

First Deputy Chairman of the Presidium of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus Piotr Vityaz remarked that the NASB had been commissioned with providing scientific support for the project. “We are laying down the foundation to make the nuclear power plant safe, environmentally friendly and economically profitable,” he said.

There are plans to build a nuclear power plant in Belarus with the capacity close to 2,400MW. The future nuclear power plant will be located in Ostrovets, Grodno Oblast. The first power unit of the Belarusian power plant is supposed to go online in 2016, the second one — in 2018. The power plant will use a nuclear station project designed by the Saint Petersburg-based institute Atomenergoproject. The Russian engineering company Atomstroyexport is the general contractor. Atomstroyexport is run by Rosatom and implements intergovernmental agreements on building nuclear energy installations abroad.