In an effort to ensure the energy security of the Republic of Belarus it is scheduled to start the designing and building works for a nuclear power-station in 2007.

The active implementation of the energy-saving strategy, introduction of energy-saving techniques, diversification of energy supply sources and enlargement of energy supply transit through the Republic of Belarus are the main priority directions for the country energy security ensuring.

In the present-day economic conditions of the Republic of Belarus the use of water resources is one of the ways to solve the problems related to reduction of Belarus power engineering dependence from the import fuel, and it will improve the environment. The unit power of the hydroelectric generators will range from 50 till 5000 kW, and preference will be given to the new fast-repairable submerged hydroelectric units. With hydraulic unit powers from 50 till 150 kW the asynchronous generators can be used as hydroelectric generators as they are more simple and reliable in operation. The hydropower engineering plants - Dnepr, Grodno and Polotsk hydroelectric power stations are being planned to be built and small hydroelectric power stations operated earlier are planned to be restored as well.

The specific attention is being paid to the newly built heat-electric generating plants operated with local fuel types, upgrade of the fuel boiling-bed combustion techniques, installation of high-performance ash collecting and pollutant emission reducing systems, pursuant to the main requirements of the Decree of the President of the Republic of Belarus of July 6, 2005 No. 315 “On Approval of the Priority Directions for Scientific and Engineering Activities in the Republic of Belarus for 2006-2010”.

In 2007-2010 the entities belonging to the Ministry of Energy intend to develop the thermochemical processing of local natural resources in order to produce the liquid and gaseous energy carriers.

The small heat-electric generating plants with usage of local fuel types (firewood, peat, etc.) are available in several centers of population , namely, in the town of Osipovichi - 1.25 MW (start-up in 2006), urban village of Vileyka - 1.25 MW (start-up in 2006), the heat-electric generating mini-plant in town of Soligorsk - 2.5 MW (start-up in 2007), as well as the lignine combustion boiler with steam capacity 30 ton per hour in the Bobruysk heat-electric generating plant, the waste wood combustion boiler with steam capacity 30 ton per hour in the Zhodino heat-electric generating plant.

Furthermore, the electric-power industry development is determined by the State Comprehensive Modernization Program for the Main Production Facilities of the Belarusian Energy System, for Energy Saving and Increase in Use of Fuel and Energy Resources Share in the Republic in 2006-2010 approved by the Decree of the President of the Republic of Belarus of August 25, 2005 No.399 (National Register for Legal Acts of the Republic of Belarus, 2005, No.137, 1/6735). In this State Comprehensive Program the priority attention is devoted to the modernization of the existing equipment in the energy plants by means of application of up-to-date technologies and innovative development of the industry.

The implementation of the State Comprehensive Program will ensure:

1. the energy security of the Republic of Belarus by means of renewal of the main production facilities of the Belarusian Energy System, efficient use of fuel and energy resources and increased use of local, nonconventional and renewable power sources;
2. reliable operation of  the Belarusian Energy System as a whole by means of renewal of the main production facilities in the whole power system from 60.7 till 45.8 per cent (for 14.9 percentage points).

The main trend for modernization of the existing generating sources is directed toward the application of high-efficient steam-to-gas technologies in the existing steam-power units of the Bereza heat-condensing plant, the Gomel heat-electric generating plant, the Grodno heat-electric generating plant-2, the Mozyr heat-electric generating plant, as well as building of new steam-gas unit under recovery scheme in the Minsk heat-electric generating plant, the Svetlogorsk heat-electric generating plant, the Brest heat-electric generating plant-2 and the Minsk heat-electric generating plant-5.

The equipment modernization in other sources implies modernization of the turbine air-gas channels, replacement of the obsolete turbo-units with expired service life for new ones with improved engineering and economical performance, application of automated control systems for energy plants, installation of steam and gas turbines in the existing boiler plants and transformation them  into heat-electric generating mini-plant.

The development of Belarus power suppliers for the period till 2020 is being considered in three variants:

1. without “modernization” subject to facilities mortality related to turbo-units life time expiration;
2. with “modernization” - gaseous masout;
3. with “modernization” - solid fuel.

The both variants “with modernization” imply the recovery of near 900 MW of the electric power produced by heat-electric generating plants and start-up of the steam-to-gas and gas-turbine facilities in the Bereza heat-condensing plant, in the heat-electric generating plant-2, heat-electric generating plant-3 and in the district boiler-house “Shabany” in the city of Minsk at the rate of 666 MW.

The main directions for heat supply systems development and enhancement are as follows:

1. maximal application of gas-turbine and steam-to-gas technologies of the combined power production ensuring the essential increase of the fuel efficiency;
2. building and application of up-to-date systems for heat energy distribution and consumption count, of the automated control systems for heat supply technological processes;
3. combined energy production by means of installation of steam back-pressure turbines or gas turbines with heat recovery in boiler houses;
4. enhancement of district heating supply systems in the heat carrier transport area;
5. decrease of heat loss through insulation and leaks by means of use of new materials;
6. multiple increase (for 50 - 60 years) of the service live period by means of protection of the existing steel tubing against the external and internal corrosion by the modern composite materials;
7. efficient use of heat energy.

The total extent of financing for building of new enterprises, new productions in the existing enterprises and modernization of the existing productions in 2007 - 2010 will amount to 1,395,205 million rubles, including out of the budget of the Republic of Belarus - 98,900 million rubles, others - 244,400 million rubles.