«Today the Belarusian nuclear power plant accounts for about 40% of all electricity generation in our country. This is a very substantial contribution to ensuring the energy independence and stability of our power grid,» Konstantin Anoshenko said.

He noted that reliable and affordable energy supply is one of the most important conditions for the country’s economic development and is directly linked to economic competitiveness, industrial development, and long-term economic growth.

«The plant plays a very important role in implementing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, namely Goal 7, which is ensuring sustainable and reliable energy supply for the population and the industry of our country,» the deputy energy minister noted.

According to Konstantin Anoshenko, nuclear energy allows Belarus to simultaneously address two key tasks: reliably supply consumers with electricity and reduce carbon emissions. «The nuclear power plant is a cheap and reliable energy source for our consumers. It is a source that allows generating electrical energy without greenhouse gas emissions. Moreover, it does not depend on weather or climate factors,» the deputy minister noted.

He stressed that taking into account the geographical and climatic features of Belarus, nuclear generation represents an important element of a balanced energy system. «Every country has to decide for itself how it will build its energy balance. The Republic of Belarus has made a strategic decision to integrate a nuclear power plant in order to ensure the most efficient balance between electricity production and consumption,» Konstantin Anoshenko said.

The deputy energy minister cited specific performance metrics for the Belarusian nuclear power plant. In his words, since the first unit was connected to the grid, the plant has already generated over 66 billion kWh of electricity. It has allowed substituting about 16 billion m3 of natural gas. «These are significant economic funds that would otherwise have to be allocated to pay for energy resources. These funds remain in the country and work for the benefit of our economy,» he noted.

The environmental effect of nuclear generation is also significant. Every year the Belarusian nuclear power plant allows reducing greenhouse gas emissions by more than 7 million tonnes. «Achieving a comparable effect through carbon dioxide absorption would require planting an additional 1 million ha of forest,» the deputy energy minister said.

Konstantin Anoshenko stressed that the development of nuclear energy gives Belarus not only a reliable source of electricity, but also an additional impetus to technological development. Operating a nuclear power plant requires developing competencies in nuclear physics, radiation safety, materials science, automation, and information technology. «This is essentially a choice in favor of innovative and technological development for our country,» he emphasized.

Nuclear generation also contributes to expanding the use of electricity across various sectors. In particular, electric heating is being actively embraced in Belarus. More than 220,000m2 of housing built using appropriate technologies are already in place, and over 178,000 individuals have received technical specifications to connect existing housing to the power grid and use electricity for heating and hot water supply.

Another area is the development of electric transport. According to the deputy minister, in 2025 the growth rate of electric vehicles in Belarus more than doubled compared to the previous year. This trend continues in 2026.

«About 65,000 electric vehicles already drive along the country’s roads today. We have built more than 2,700 charging stations for electric transport,» he reported.

The deputy minister also noted that the further development of nuclear energy is being considered with due regard for the growing needs of the economy. The matter of building a third power unit at the site of the operating Belarusian nuclear power plant is being worked on together with the state corporation Rosatom.

Apart from that, the task has been set to consider the possibility of building a second nuclear power plant in Belarus. «Accomplishing the tasks of the nuclear program would certainly be impossible without close Belarusian-Russian cooperation. Our primary partner in this matter is the state corporation Rosatom,» Konstantin Anoshenko said. He stressed that nuclear power represents a factor in strengthening economic self-reliance for Belarus.

The forum Clean Energy: Contribution of Belarus and Russia to Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals is taking place in Minsk on 8 September. Achieving SDG 7 «Affordable and Clean Energy» became one of the central themes of the event.