Minsk — Belarus is moving ahead with plans to expand its nuclear energy capacity, with President Alexander Lukashenko confirming that work is underway to design a third power-generating unit at the Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant (BelNPP).
Lukashenko announced the decision while attending the opening of a new City Clinical Infectious Diseases Hospital in Minsk, according to the state news agency BelTA. He described electricity as an increasingly essential resource for modern economies and said expanding nuclear generation would help meet the needs of future generations.
The Belarusian leader pointed to developments in neighbouring Poland and other European countries, where governments are considering renewed investment in nuclear energy and the construction of additional facilities.
He contrasted these plans with the position taken by several European countries in previous years, when nuclear power faced criticism and some governments pursued policies to close existing plants or avoid building new ones.
Lukashenko argued that Belarus had made the right decision by proceeding with the construction of its existing nuclear power facility rather than following calls to abandon the project.
He said electricity had become central to transportation, industry and everyday life, highlighting the growing use of electric vehicles, including passenger cars and trucks. He also referred to the operation of electric trains as another example of the country’s reliance on reliable power supplies.
According to Lukashenko, the proposed third unit is intended to strengthen the country’s generating capacity over the long term. He presented the project as an investment in younger generations, saying that children and young people would benefit from the additional electricity supply once construction is completed.
The announcement signals Belarus’s continued commitment to nuclear power as part of its national energy strategy. However, the statement did not provide a construction timetable, the proposed unit’s generating capacity or an estimated project cost.
The Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant, located near Ostrovets in the Grodno Region, is the country’s first nuclear power station. Its development has been a major component of Belarus’s efforts to diversify electricity generation and reduce reliance on imported energy resources.
Nuclear energy produces electricity through controlled nuclear reactions and can provide continuous power generation, unlike some renewable sources whose output depends on weather conditions. Its development, however, requires substantial investment, specialised technical expertise and long-term arrangements for safety, operations and radioactive waste management.
Lukashenko’s remarks reflect the Belarusian government’s view that expanding electricity production will be important as transport systems, industrial operations and other sectors become increasingly dependent on electric power.
The proposed third unit would represent a further step in the country’s nuclear development programme, although its final technical specifications and implementation schedule have yet to be announced.
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