Belarus, Russia plan to sign agreement on third power unit of Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant by end of year - minister

MOSCOW. Feb 20 (Interfax) - Belarus and Russia plan to sign an agreement to build a third power unit at the Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant (BelNPP) by the end of the year, Belarusian Energy Minister Denis Moroz told reporters ahead of a ministry board meeting.

"There is an instruction [from the Belarusian president] on the need for another unit at the Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant and on a more in-depth, detailed look at the issue of building another nuclear power plant, potentially in the Mogilev region," the BelTA news agency quoted Moroz as saying.

The Energy Ministry and the Rosatom State Corporation have formed a working group to draft a framework agreement on the construction of a third unit at BelNPP, which is located in Ostrovets in the Grodno region, he said.

"Work is underway to prepare this framework agreement. The technical parameters of the unit will be largely determined by how the energy sector and industry develop in Belarus and what the rates of electricity consumption will be," Moroz said.

"We plan that, like the existing units, the capacity of the third unit will be 1200 MW. I am absolutely convinced that in the near future we will reach certain understandings on the framework agreement, which will be signed at a high level. The task is to sign it by the end of 2026," the minister said.

"Regarding a second nuclear power plant, today we see Mogilev region as the most promising site for it. We are considering various configurations for this nuclear power plant. Together with the Academy of Sciences, our design institutes, and Rosatom, we are currently studying several aspects. First, the site where the plant could be located. Second, the technical parameters of this plant, taking into account the prospects for increased electricity consumption beyond 2040," Moroz said.

The plant in Ostrovets consists of two Russian-designed VVER-1200 reactors and was built by Rosatom's ASE Group. A Russian state loan of $10 billion was used to finance the project.

The first power unit of the BelNPP was connected to the grid in November 2020 with commercial launch in June 2021. The second was connected in May 2023 with commercial launch in November that year.

Belarus decided in November 2025 to build a third power unit at the plant that might be connected to the grid in 2035-2038.