Importing electric power electric power from Russia will be stopped in 2018, Belarus’ Energy Minister Uladzimir Patupchyk said on Wednesday.
Belarus and Russia have rounded off talks on the electricity import.
“We have decided not to buy it at the Russian prices and replace it with domestic electricity. We will stop importing electric power in 2018,” state-run news agency BelTA quotes Patupchyk.
In October, the minister announced the country’s intention to import less electricity ‘after Astravets NPP’s start’. There were reports that Belarus would stop importing electricity in 2020.
Belarus plans to commission the first unit of the Belarusian nuclear power plant in 2019. It will be integrated with the country’s power grid. According to Patupchyk, the authorities are seeking ways to boost electricity consumption in Belarus.
In late July, president Petro Poroshenko confirmed Ukraine’s readiness to resume electric power deliveries to Belarus.
belsat.eu, following BelTA
