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#Energy: Nuclear energy is consistent with European Eco-friendly trend

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Hinkley-Point-nuclear-pow-011The battle with climate change has reached a new level at the end of
last year. During the climate summit in Paris in December 2015 195
countries supported the Framework of the Convention on climate change, according to which, parties involved shall make every effort to prevent the rising of the Earth’s temperature by more than 2°. Primarily, the plan to achieve this involves lowering CO2 emissions by 2030 by not less than 30%.

In this regard, the peaceful atom role, as an alternative energy source with minimal environment impact, will drastically rise. According to the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Yukiya Amano: "Atomic energy has minimal impact on the environment and helps minimize greenhouse gas emissions."

In 2002, International Energy Agency (IEA) has conducted a large-scale study on
how various energy sources affect people’s lives and health. Nuclear energy was recognized as most harmless, while coal-burning was related to the most deaths per megawatt of produced electricity, primarily, due to the emissions that coal power plants produce.

Activities related to the development of nuclear energy have been on the rise in Europe during recent years. Shortly before the Paris climate summit, the UK, in a bold statement, has announced that it will close all of its coal power plants by 2025 in order to create a modern energy sector infrastructure that is consistent with 21st century realities. Confirming its words, in the near future the country is planning to commence construction of new power units at the Hinkley Point B Nuclear Power Station and announced plans to commission 12 new atomic reactors by 2030.

Finland, in turn, has laid down the first stone in constructing the new Hanhikivi Nuclear Power Plant this year, completion of which is scheduled for the year 2024. Also, currently, a third power unit is being constructed at the Olkiluoto Nuclear Power Plant, however, the project is not meeting deadlines and commission date is unknown (latest information suggests not earlier than 2018).

In 2018, Hungary is planning to begin construction of two new power units at the Paks-2 nuclear power plant.

It is possible that Belarus will construct its nuclear power plant before the two previously mentioned projects – the Ostrovetsplant in Eastern Europe (the project is carried out in accordance with Russian VVER-1200 technology and is similar to Finnish Hanhikivi and Hungarian Paks-2 plants) has been in the construction phase since 2013 and its first power unit will be commissioned in 2018.

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The recent lifting of EU sanctions from Belarus may allow the country to integrate its resources into the European Union’s energy system. Some neighbouring countries have also took the news well – Sweden, a country planning to decommission one of its major nuclear power plants, has already announced plans to acquire electricity from Belarus. According to Swedish experts, it may be transited via Lithuania, which by 2020 will have linked energy transferring infrastructure with Belarus and Sweden.

However, Lithuania is calling against acquisition of electricity from the Belarusian nuclear power plant, arguing that the plant is not safe and that Belarus is not observing the Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context (Espo Convention). This was noted by, among others, Energy Minister Rokas Masiulis in the beginning of the year, who called for other countries to refrain from purchasing electricity from the Belarusian nuclear power plant. Lithuania’s President Dalia Grybauskaite, in turn, has demanded for "the Ostrovets nuclear power plant to satisfy the most stringent international safety standards, that an independent and transparent environment impact evaluation is conducted, and that a risk and safety review is carried out."

A number of experts believe that Lithuanian officials’ objections can most likely be equated to political rhetoric. It is vital to note, that safety requirements after the Fukushima disaster at atomic plants have increased to such an extent that the chance of any kind of radioactive leak even in the most extraordinary situations
(earthquakes, tsunamis, terrorist attacks etc) practically fell to zero. The prime cost of the plant’s safety systems currently comprise up to 40% of the total reactor prime cost. The modern Russian VVER -1200 project currently under construction in Ostrovets fully complies with post-Fukushima safety standards and has passed IAEA Generic Reactor Safety Review.

Experts also evaluate the construction of Belarus NPP in a positive way. "Belarus is one of IAEA members who has seriously advanced in execution of its atomic energy project and our Agency is completely involved in support of that program" noted Martin Krause, Director of Technical Cooperation Europe at International Atomic Energy Agency during technical IAEA seminar, which was focused on Belarus.

Section Head of the IAEA Nuclear Infrastructure Development Section Milko Kovachev, Bulgaria’s former Energy Minister, noted that Belarus chose a time-tested nuclear power plant design: "VVER-1200 is a new generation of power-generating units that Russia offers today. The design draws on the practices that were used in the construction of NPPs in China. There is a reference nuclear power plant under construction in Russia, the Leningrad NPP. This is a wise decision to choose time-tested advanced technologies. The fact that there is a
reference plant is an important feature of this project."

Another IAEA expert, energy industry specialist and IAEA consultant Per Lindell noted that Nuclear energy is being introduced in Belarus in a very professional manner.

In the beginning of March, Belarus Deputy Energy Minister Mikhail Mikhaduyk commented on the Lithuanian attacks in an interview for a Lithuanian media outlet. He emphasized thatBelarus has fulfilled its obligations set forth in the Convention. A series of agreements between neighbouring countries had taken place and that the final decision to build the nuclear power plant –was recognized by all Espo Convention signatories with the exception of Lithuania. The Belarusian side still hopes for a constructive dialogue with its neighbors.

The Ostrovets nuclear power plant can annually replace about 5 billion cubic meters of natural gas, which will reduce greenhouse gas emission into the atmosphere by 7 to 10 million tons per year, thereby contributing to the fight against global warming – a goal sought by the whole modern world. Moreover, notwithstanding the difficult economic situation in Europe, the financing of the nuclear power plant is going according to plan. Minsk has signed an agreement with the Russian Federation that grants export credit for the construction of the nuclear power plant, totalling 10$ bn.

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