Lukashenko eyeing 2 sites, Ostrovets and eastern Belarus, for building Belarus NPP 2

MINSK. Nov 14 (Interfax) - Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has said at a meeting in Minsk he is eyeing two sites for building the second nuclear power plant in Belarus and has discussed the issue with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"We have discussed our cooperation in nuclear energy with Russian President Vladimir Putin at a meeting during the World Atomic Week in late September this year. The Russian side demonstrates understanding and support, so the ball is in our court. First of all, we need to decide whether we will build [the second NPP] or not. If we do, then where and when," the Belarusian state-run news agency BelTA quoted Lukashenko as saying.

"Nuclear energy is a miracle for Belarus," he said.

The government has been tasked with considering construction of the second nuclear power plant or, at least, the third unit of the operating plant, Lukashenko said. He proposed that specific features, pros and cons of both options be discussed.

Option 1 is building a new unit at the plant in Ostrovets as the second stage of the Belarusian NPP. The site has proper conditions and personnel, including a place for accommodation, and industrial, technological and social infrastructure. This will make the construction project cheaper.

"The soil there has been examined from A to Z, and we do not have to conduct any additional survey," Lukashenko said.

Option 2 is construction of a new plant in eastern Belarus, soil permitting. The site was considered for construction of the first NPP. Building a plant from the ground up at a new site would require hefty investments and organizational decisions, while giving a strong impetus to the development of the eastern region.

"We will also turn the eastern region from a backwater district into a highly developed part of Belarus. This means new jobs, attraction of investments, implementation of innovative projects, and implementation of new technologies," Lukashenko said.