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Belarus is finishing its first nuclear power station and wants to use the surplus capacity. Initially, they planned to sell it to Baltic countries, but these ar

by lowry 9y ago

Belarus is finishing its first nuclear power station and wants to use the surplus capacity. Initially, they planned to sell it to Baltic countries, but these are in the EU, so it is not yet sure they will cut a deal. EU has a huge anti-nuclear, pro-carbon lobby.

imhoguy 9y ago
Nuclear powered ASICs and GPUs without intermediaries, that would be a thing!
rsynnott 9y ago
More like the EU has a huge anti-Belarus lobby (and for very good reasons). The Baltic countries mostly have their own nuclear plants, with no plans to close them; not that much anti-nuclear sentiment.
- lowry 9y ago
  Dude, you are lying. Lithuania closed its last nuclear reactor, which had been generating 70% of its electricity, at the end of 2009, due to EU pressure. Latvia and Estonia never had one.
  - rsynnott 9y ago
    Lithuania's one was two elderly Chernobyl-style reactors which were already past their design life; shutting them was fairly reasonable. I thought Estonia had a couple, but apparently not.
ceasarby 9y ago
Yeah, Lithuania making big deal out of this nuclear station. They aren't happy that it's based close to the border and they trying to say that it's not safe, blah-blah-blah, nobody will buy electricity and so on. Other countries don't have issues with this station though, EU checked it and found everything within norms. But every time something happens at the construction, like they pour concrete at the wrong spot, Lithuania blows the whistle. Lukashenka said that it will be build no matter what, and neighbors will have to deal with it.
- shokasg 9y ago
  But it is big deal. In worst case scenario, most of Lithuania's land would be no-go zone. Violating Espoo and Aarhus Conventions, lying and covering up accidents, while normal practice in Russia & co countries, it is not in EU. Could you please provide source for "EU checked it and found everything within norms"?
  - ceasarby 9y ago
    The construction spot complies with all MAGATE standards: http://www.belta.by/economics/view/ostrovetskaja-ploschadka-dlja-stroitelstva-aes-otvechaet-vsem-standartam-magate-mihadjuk-100644-2011 http://www.belta.by/economics/view/ostrovetskaja-ploschadka-... MAGATE SEED mission external risks report is overall positive: https://news.tut.by/economics/546471.html https://news.tut.by/economics/546471.html http://minenergo.gov.by/wp-content/uploads/Report-SEED-mission-Belarus.pdf http://minenergo.gov.by/wp-content/uploads/Report-SEED-missi... Here's interview with vice-minister of energetic where he answers a lot of questions and concerns of Lithuania: There's 7 more MAGATE SEED missions planned to visit the station and security tests are going according to the plan. https://news.tut.by/politics/486906.html https://news.tut.by/politics/486906.html Here's info that crush-tests were made and results provided to EU commission and everyone who wants to know. https://news.tut.by/society/567848.html https://news.tut.by/society/567848.html What I see is that Lithuania takes totally nonconstructive position. They concerned about security of the station, but at the same time want to pull off the scientists from EU commission that will be working on implementing EU security standards on station. https://news.tut.by/economics/562015.html https://news.tut.by/economics/562015.html Reality is this station will be build, because Belarus needs it for energetic security to diversify it's energy consumption from dependency russian gas. Belarusians are the first who interested in high security standards. But Lithuania wants Belarus to stop building it, it's ultimatum and it's not going to work. It's not to late to find compromise decision and Belarus is open for dialog and Lithuania tries to take unfriendly steps like twist the facts and mix up the question about station with the other things. Even swedish deputy said you guys shouldn't bring Europe to two-sided conflict: https://news.tut.by/economics/550112.html https://news.tut.by/economics/550112.html
throwawaymanbot 9y ago
>EU has a huge anti-nuclear, pro-carbon lobby.< What a patently absurd thing to say.

by lowry 9y ago

imhoguy 9y ago

Nuclear powered ASICs and GPUs without intermediaries, that would be a thing!

rsynnott 9y ago

More like the EU has a huge anti-Belarus lobby (and for very good reasons). The Baltic countries mostly have their own nuclear plants, with no plans to close them; not that much anti-nuclear sentiment.

lowry 9y ago
Dude, you are lying. Lithuania closed its last nuclear reactor, which had been generating 70% of its electricity, at the end of 2009, due to EU pressure. Latvia and Estonia never had one.
- rsynnott 9y ago
  Lithuania's one was two elderly Chernobyl-style reactors which were already past their design life; shutting them was fairly reasonable. I thought Estonia had a couple, but apparently not.

ceasarby 9y ago

Yeah, Lithuania making big deal out of this nuclear station. They aren't happy that it's based close to the border and they trying to say that it's not safe, blah-blah-blah, nobody will buy electricity and so on. Other countries don't have issues with this station though, EU checked it and found everything within norms. But every time something happens at the construction, like they pour concrete at the wrong spot, Lithuania blows the whistle. Lukashenka said that it will be build no matter what, and neighbors will have to deal with it.

shokasg 9y ago
But it is big deal. In worst case scenario, most of Lithuania's land would be no-go zone. Violating Espoo and Aarhus Conventions, lying and covering up accidents, while normal practice in Russia & co countries, it is not in EU. Could you please provide source for "EU checked it and found everything within norms"?
- ceasarby 9y ago
  The construction spot complies with all MAGATE standards: http://www.belta.by/economics/view/ostrovetskaja-ploschadka-dlja-stroitelstva-aes-otvechaet-vsem-standartam-magate-mihadjuk-100644-2011 http://www.belta.by/economics/view/ostrovetskaja-ploschadka-... MAGATE SEED mission external risks report is overall positive: https://news.tut.by/economics/546471.html https://news.tut.by/economics/546471.html http://minenergo.gov.by/wp-content/uploads/Report-SEED-mission-Belarus.pdf http://minenergo.gov.by/wp-content/uploads/Report-SEED-missi... Here's interview with vice-minister of energetic where he answers a lot of questions and concerns of Lithuania: There's 7 more MAGATE SEED missions planned to visit the station and security tests are going according to the plan. https://news.tut.by/politics/486906.html https://news.tut.by/politics/486906.html Here's info that crush-tests were made and results provided to EU commission and everyone who wants to know. https://news.tut.by/society/567848.html https://news.tut.by/society/567848.html What I see is that Lithuania takes totally nonconstructive position. They concerned about security of the station, but at the same time want to pull off the scientists from EU commission that will be working on implementing EU security standards on station. https://news.tut.by/economics/562015.html https://news.tut.by/economics/562015.html Reality is this station will be build, because Belarus needs it for energetic security to diversify it's energy consumption from dependency russian gas. Belarusians are the first who interested in high security standards. But Lithuania wants Belarus to stop building it, it's ultimatum and it's not going to work. It's not to late to find compromise decision and Belarus is open for dialog and Lithuania tries to take unfriendly steps like twist the facts and mix up the question about station with the other things. Even swedish deputy said you guys shouldn't bring Europe to two-sided conflict: https://news.tut.by/economics/550112.html https://news.tut.by/economics/550112.html

throwawaymanbot 9y ago

>EU has a huge anti-nuclear, pro-carbon lobby.< What a patently absurd thing to say.