PM WISHES TO SEE DOMESTIC COMPANIES TO APPLY ENERGY-SAVING PRACTICES IN 2-3 YEARS
 In the next two or three years the companies of Belarus should be encouraged to shift to energy-saving practices, Prime Minister of Belarus Sergei Sidorsky said at a session of the Presidium of the Council of Ministers. The session focused on the measures to be taken in 2008 to implement the national comprehensive programme aimed at upgrading key assets of the Belarusian grid, energy saving and increasing the use of local fuels until 2011. “We have a unique opportunity to develop a new energy system of our companies. In the future the price for gas will increase up to $300. Energy resources will be getting more expensive – everybody understands it,” the Prime Minister said.
Today Belarus buys gas at lower prices than other neighboring countries. We need to take advantage of this opportunity to encourage domestic companies to use energy-saving practices. The task is to reduce energy inputs into production as much as possible, Sergei Sidorsky said.
Belarus plans to reduce GDP energy intensity by 8% in 2008, Valery Koreshkov, the Chairman of the State Standard Committee of Belarus stated at a session of the Council of Ministers’ Presidium on February 19.
Valery Koreshkov noted that the 2008 energy-saving and utilization of local fuels will help cut the GDP energy intensity by 8%. By 2010 the index is expected to be down by 31%. Branch-wise and regional programmes will help save 1 million 628 thousand tonnes of fuel equivalent countrywide.
At the same time, in January the projection on fuel usage was exceeded by 250 tonnes of fuel equivalent due to the weather conditions and lower import of electric energy, the country’s fuel excess consumption made up 250 tonnes of fuel equivalent in January 2008, Valery Koreshkov noted. According to him, the country will do its utmost to reach the planned indices.
Sergei Sidorsky criticized the work of the State Standard Committee for not reaching the energy-saving targets. He underlined that within the next two or three years Belarus needs to encourage the companies to apply energy-saving practices and the State Standard Committee is expected to play an important role in that. The companies need to reduce energy inputs into production of one unit of product. The companies will pay market prices for the excessive energy consumption, the Prime Minister underlined.
In 2008, Belarus is set to funnel $1,56 billion into modernisation of the energy system and energy saving, Energy Minister Alexander Ozerets said at a session of the Presidium of the Council of Ministers. The session focused on the measures to be taken in 2008 to implement the national comprehensive programme aimed at upgrading key assets of the Belarusian grid, energy saving and increasing the use of local fuels until 2011. The session was chaired by Prime Minister Sergei Sidorsky.
According to Alexander Oserets, the total financing of the programme will amount to $1,561-1,751 billion in 2008. $601 million will be put into modernisation of the energy system. Some $960 million-$1150 million will be funneled into energy-saving measures, including $260 million – into increasing the use of local fuels.
The Energy Minister said that in 2008 the 299WHt capacities will be sent in service at the Energy Ministry companies. The 98Mwt capacities will be put in operation at the companies of the Belneftekhim concern, Industry Ministry and other sectors
The country’s energy saving is expected to make up at least 1.4 million tonnes of fuel equipment in 2008. The use of local fuels will go up to reach 4.259 million tonnes of fuel equivalent.
Alexander Ozerets noted that in 2008 the companies of the Energy Ministry would complete five investment projects on construction of new generating capacities. Thus, by April the Lukoml state district power plant will finish the modernization of energy unit #2. The project will help save up to 15 thousand tonnes of fuel equivalent per year, or $1.8 million. In May Gomel CHP plant #2 will install a 4MW turbine expander. In August the Lida CHP plant will be fitted with a 25MW gas turbine. In October Minsk CHP plant #3 will complete the construction of a 230MW steam and gas power generating unit to save up to 150 thousand tonnes of fuel equivalent, or nearly $18 million. At the end of 2008 the boiler-house “Zhlobin” will be fitted with a 25MW gas piston equipment.
In 2008 the country will replace 174.8 kilometers of the heating network, construct and reconstruct 2.2 thousand kilometers of the transmission network. In 2008 the country will construct three new and reconstruct seven substations to provide new houses in Minsk with electricity.
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