EU to present Belarusian N-plant stress test results next week – Lithuanian diplomat

“We expect important things to happen next week, because the preparation of EU stress tests will be finally completed and the shortcomings that Belarus needs to address in building the Astravyets NPP will be identified,” Nerijus Aleksiejūnas told the Žinių Radijas radio station.

“We are working and will continue to work to ensure that there are not only the results of stress tests and the listing of shortcomings, but that there are very clear recommendations on what Belarus has to do as well,” the diplomat said.

“And more importantly, very clear commitments by Belarus to ensure that these recommendations are implemented. Many of them must be implemented even before the launch of the nuclear power plant,” he added.

Lithuania, the main critic of the Astravyets plant under construction just 50 kilometers from Vilnius, last year declared the project a threat to national security, the environment and public health.

In an effort to hamper the project, the country plans to block electricity imports from the facility.

Minsk rejects the criticism, saying that it will ensure the highest safety standards at the Astravyets plant.

Belarus expects the first reactor unit be ready for industrial power generation by late 2019 and the second unit to be operational by mid-2020.