Russia and Belarus sign general contract for development of Belarusian NPP
MINSK. July 18 (Interfax) - Russia and Belarus have signed a general contract for developing the Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant (NPP), an Interfax correspondent reported from the signing ceremony, which took place in the presence of both countries' prime ministers.
Russia is allocating a $10 billion loan to finance the development of the Russian designed two-block nuclear station with up to 2,400 MWt in capacity. Construction and setup of the first block should be finished in 2017. This block will launch in 2017. The second block will be completed in 2019 and launched in 2020.
In addition, an agreement was signed between Export Insurance Agency of Russia (EXIAR) and the Belarusian state enterprise for export and import insurance, Eximgarant of Belarus.
It was earlier reported that Belarus and Russia signed an intergovernmental agreement in Minsk in March 2011 for partnership in the construction of Belarusian NPP, which will be implemented on a Russian turnkey basis. Russia's CJSC Atomstroyexport is the general contractor for the project. State Institution: Directorate for the Construction of the Nuclear Electricity Station is the client in the project.
Belarus and Russia also signed a contract agreement in October 2011 for the construction of the NPP. An intergovernmental agreement was signed in November for allocating a Russian state loan worth up to $10 billion to Belarus.
The signing of the general contract has been delayed several times because of disagreements on various issues. However, Belarus later said that all issues had been settled at the start of July.
The first NPP in Belarus will be located in the Ostrovets district of the Grodno region.
