Belarus to reduce gas consumption 12% to 16.7 bcm in 2023

MINSK. Aug 30 (Interfax) - Natural gas consumption in Belarus will drop 12% to 16.7 billion cubic meters this year from 19 bcm in 2022, Energy Minister Viktor Karankevich said.

"Overall for 2023 we estimate natural gas deliveries by gas supply organizations at 16.7 bcm, while last year's level was 19 bcm," Karankevich was quoted as saying by the ministry's press service.

Gas consumption in the country fell 15% to 9.4 bcm in the first seven months of 2023, primarily thanks to the operation of the Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant. The plant has generated 18.5 billion kWh of electricity since its first generating unit was connected to the country's energy system on November 3, 2020, making it possible to replace about 5 bcm of gas.

"With the launch of the second generating unit, the nuclear plant will generate the same amount of electricity annually, which will ensure the replacement 4.5 bcm-5 bcm of gas per year," Karankevich said.

However, some production facilities and businesses are increasing natural gas consumption due to the "growth of manufacturing of products that are in demand on foreign markets and inside the country, as well as the creation of new production facilities where natural gas is also used as part of the production process," Karankevich said.

The Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant, built based on the Russian VVER-1200 design, is located near the city of Ostrovets, Grodno region. It has two generating units with capacity of 1.2 GW each. The general contractor for the construction of the plant is Rosatom's ASE Group. The construction of the plant was financed with a Russian government loan of $10 billion.

The first generating unit of the BelNPP was connected to the grid in November 2020, and the second unit was connected in May 2023.