MINSK, 11 November (BelTA) – Belarus is considering the possibility of inviting Japan to participate in energy industry projects, said President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko as he met with representatives of the Japanese company Mitsubishi Heavy Industries on 11 November.

“In the near future we plan to spend huge amounts of money to ensure our energy security. You have massive capabilities in all areas.

MINSK, 10 November (BelTA) - The European Commission has allocated ?10 million worth of financial assistance to help Belarus make its energy sector more efficient, BelTA learnt from the European Union Office in Minsk.

Funding will be allocated to support energy-saving technologies in the sectors of consumer goods and industrial products in Belarus. The financial assistance will also be used to improve relevant laboratories and standardization programs in energy efficiency.

MINSK, 8 November (BelTA) – Belarus and Venezuela will sign a new package of contracts for cooperation in power engineering, industry, and civil engineering, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro Moros told media in Minsk on 8 November.

The ministers of agriculture, and food, industry, construction and architecture are supposed to visit Venezuela on 14-17 November to sign a new package of contracts to realize the agreements that Belarus and Venezuela reached when Venezuela President Hugo Chavez visited Belarus on 15-16 October 2010.

MINSK, 4 November (BelTA) – The Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) plans to allocate up to $2 billion in loans to finance development projects in the Belarusian power engineering industry, chairman of the board of the EDB Igor Finogenov told reporters on November 3.

“We have calculated that the bank’s involvement in the energy development projects in Belarus alone may reach $1.5-2 billion. We are making progress in other areas too.

MOGILEV, 1 November (BelTA) – German businessmen are interested in investing in the development of alternative power engineering in Belarus, said head of a delegation of German businessmen and deputy head of the Eastern Europe Department of Germany’s Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology Wolfgang Gerstmann as he met with the Mogilev Oblast Vice-Governor Vladimir Kravtsov.

“Mogilev Oblast has a serious economic potential.

MINSK, 25 October (BelTA) – Belarus sees bright prospects for energy cooperation with Latvia, Estonia and Denmark, said Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko as he received letters of credence from the ambassadors of the three countries, BelTA informs.

Speaking to Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Latvia to Belarus Mihails Popkovs, Alexander Lukashenko noted that bilateral ties with Latvia are gaining importance in Belarus’ foreign policy.

KYIV, 13 October (BelTA) – The 38th session of the CIS Electric Energy Council will take place in Kyiv on 15 October, BelTA learnt from the press service of the Fuel and Energy Ministry of Ukraine.

Taking part in the session will be chairpersons of the CIS state-run electric energy agencies and directors of electric energy companies. Belarus will be represented by Energy Minister Alexander Ozerets and General Director of Belenergo Alexei Shirma.

MINSK, 13 October (BelTA) – Two blocs of the Belarusian NPP with a total capacity of 2340 MW will be put on stream by 2020, Deputy Energy Minister of Belarus Yuri Rymashevsky said at the Belarusian Energy and Environment Forum on 13 October.

He also noted that Belarus’ energy strategy for 2011-2020 envisages new power plants, including the nuclear one.

MINSK, 6 October (BelTA) – Belarus tightly cooperates with the International Atomic Energy Agency in the area of nuclear power engineering, said Belarusian Deputy Energy Minister Mikhail Mikhadyuk at the international conference “21st Century Nuclear Technologies” in Minsk on 6 October.

“We understand the responsibility of building a safe power installation and running it safely,” remarked Mikhail Mikhadyuk.

MINSK, 5 October (BelTA) - Cross subsidies in gas prices and energy tariffs will be completely removed in Belarus by 2014, Energy Minister of Belarus Alexander Ozerets said at a session of the Presidium of the Council of Ministers which focused on the draft state program to develop the Belarusian energy system for 2011-2015.

“When working on improving the tariff policy we will focus on the measures to remove cross-subsidies in gas prices and energy tariffs by 2014 in order to reduce energy expenses for the real production sector.