TASHKENT, April 20. /TASS/. Rosatom will prepare the legal framework and conclude contracts for the construction of Unit 3 of the Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) in 2026, Chief Executive Officer of the Russian state corporation Alexey Likhachev said.

"In this major program for development of nuclear energy [in Belarus], the next step, as decided by the president and the government of Belarus, is the third unit at the first Ostrovets NPP. Viktor M. [Karankevich] and I are absolutely clear on the technological configuration, the technological outline of the project. This will be another VVER-1200, our flagship export project," he told reporters on the sidelines of the International Industrial Exhibition Innoprom. Central Asia in Tashkent.

"This year, in addition to the technical aspects, we need to reach and conclude all agreements on economic matters and create the necessary legal framework for bilateral intergovernmental relations. We will achieve this goal and have agreed on the next steps," the chief executive added.

Atomstroyexport (part of Russia’s Rosatom State Atomic Energy Corporation) constructed Belarus' first nuclear power plant near the city of Ostrovets in the Grodno Region by June 2021 based on the standard Russian AES-2006 (NPP-2006) project. The first power unit was connected to the unified energy grid and commissioned for industrial operation at the BelNPP on November 3, 2020, and in June 2021, respectively. The second power unit was connected to the country's unified energy grid and commissioned for industrial operation at the BelNPP in May 2023 and on November 1 of the same year, respectively. The minister of energy of Belarus announced at the end of last December that the introduction of a third power unit at the plant into the country's energy system is being discussed for the period 2035-2038.

The sixth International Industrial Exhibition Innoprom. Central Asia opened in Tashkent on Monday and will run until April 22. The exhibition, which will cover 18,000 square meters, is expected to attract 10,000 delegates from more than 20 countries, including CIS members, China, Germany, Turkey, the UAE, and other countries. Russia will be represented by 16 regions, while Uzbekistan - by around 400 companies.

TASS is the exhibition’s general information agency.