By Kirill Overyanov
The Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China, H.E. Mr. Gong Jianwei, joined Belenergo Production Association’s Deputy General Director, Mikhail Luzin, in laying the first symbolic bricks of the future steam-gas power station. It is being constructed by the China Machinery Engineering Corporation, with Chinese investments exceeding $750m. The modern cost-effective facility will have a greater capacity than others, while consuming 30 percent less gas to generate electricity.
“This is a paramount event for the country’s energy system and is a breakthrough in the field of high technologies. Around 50 percent of all Belarusian electricity is generated by cogeneration plants, with Lukoml hydro-electric power station leading energy production,” stressed the Deputy Energy Minister, Yuri Rymashevsky, at the opening of the construction site. “Regardless of steadily working to enhance the efficiency of equipment, traditional energy reserves are depleted, so we’re thankful to our Chinese partners for their co-operation, which will take the Belarusian energy sphere to a new level.”
The new block will come into operation in 2014, with cost-effectiveness among its major advantages. At present, 335 units of conventional fuel are needed to generate each kilowatt of electricity; this should fall to 212 after work is complete, saving up to $90m yearly. Moreover, the new technology is more environmentally friendly, consuming less water per unit of generated electricity and leaving less waste.
Jointly with Chinese energy specialists, Belarusians have already modernised Minsk’s heat power station, also building a wind facility and commencing the modernisation of Berezina electric station. Mr. Gong Jianwei is confident that the Lukoml hydro-electric power station’s new block will become a worthy example of economic collaboration between our countries.
