Key events
The construction of an oil pipeline from the Kartashovskoye field to the oil processing facility is underway. The total length of the pipeline exceeds 50 km, and by the end of June, more than 33 km had been completed. This oil pipeline will be used to transport oil and associated gas from the company’s remote fields. With the commissioning of this facility, the flow will increase and the pressure of the transported fluid will decrease, enabling the pumping of a larger volume of hydrocarbons at lower pressure.
With the onset of summer, shutdown repairs begin at the technological facilities of OJSC “Naftan”. This June, the Reforminge No. 3 unit was stopped for repairs».
An electric grid with a voltage of 20 kV has been established in Minsk. For the first time, as part of creating an electrical network infrastructure, 20 kV cable networks have been laid for the multifunctional residential complex “North Coast” currently under construction. This is due to the high building density and the planned construction of residential buildings with electric heating.
In May, the networks connecting the 110/10 kV “Dolginovskaya” substation and 20/0.4 kV transformer substations with cable lines were put into operation. Preparations are underway to start implementing projects for the construction of the main power supply centers of the North Coast complex, including the 110/20 kV substations “Beregovaya” and “Drozdy”.
On the afternoon of June 19, in several regions, the heat was replaced by heavy rains and hail, accompanied by powerful gusts of wind up to 25 m/s. As a result of these adverse weather conditions, outages were recorded in the main and distribution networks of the power system. Power outages were observed in 82 settlements.
On June 11 at 1:50 p.m., during repair work using a gas cutter on a water-cooling tower that was disconnected from the circuit, the sprinkler grid caught fire. The fire was promptly localized and extinguished by the Ministry of Emergency Situations. The operation of technological facilities was not affected, and the company is operating as usual. The cause of the fire is being investigated.
Statistics and data
Since the commission of the first nuclear power unit into the energy system on November 3, 2020, the Belarusian nuclear power plant has generated over 30 TWh. Currently, the station operates both units at full capacity. At the beginning of 2024, its production was 23 TWh, therefore the total capacity factor of the units at this year is about 88%.
In 2023, electricity consumption in the country increased by 6.6% compared to 2022. Positive dynamics continue in 2024, with the growth of this indicator reaching 9.7% from January to April. This issue is dedicated to this topic.
Prices for petroleum products have continued to rise. Throughout June, there were four weekly price increases of 1 kopeck each (on June 4th, 11th, 18th, and 25th). Additionally, on June 4th, the price of liquefied gas used in vehicles also increased by 1.2 euro cents per liter. The fuel prices at the end of the month are detailed in the table below.
Belarusneft continues to implement the Malanka project. As of June, 719 charging stations for electric vehicles were installed throughout Belarus.
The distribution by region shows on table.
In the Malanka charging network, electric vehicles can be charged at slow AC stations up to 44 kW, fast (50 to 175 kW) and super-fast (over 175 kW) DC stations. Charging is available using GBT, Chademo, CCS and Type 2 connectors.
Belarusneft estimates the number of electric vehicles in the country at 12 thousand units.
Statements
«Modernize a substation but give me a bribe. Tens of thousands of dollars,» Alexander Lukashenko commented on the initiation of a criminal case against former Deputy Minister of Energy Mikhail Mikhadyuk, who is currently in pre-trial detention.
Mikhail Ivanovich Mikhadyuk served as the chief engineer of “Mogilevenergo” from 2003 to 2005. From 2005 until 2023, he held the position of Deputy Minister of Energy of the Republic of Belarus, overseeing capital construction and the development of the nuclear power plant project. He was relieved of his duties on December 29, 2023.
Topic of the Issue: Electricity consumption
Several distinct periods can be identified in Belarus’s economic development, as reflected in its GDP dynamics: the crisis after the collapse of the Soviet Union (1990-1996), the period of economic recovery, which ends with a period of artificial stimulation of its development in 2011, after which growth practically stopped and GDP began to fluctuate around a constant value. Initially, the dynamics of electricity consumption mirrored changes in GDP. However, during the period of active GDP growth, electricity consumption did not significantly increase. This was primarily due to improvements in equipment efficiency and overall energy efficiency measures.
After economic growth ceased in the 2010s, the increase in electricity consumption also nearly halted. The recent growth from 2019 to 2024 is largely driven by governmental initiatives aimed at boosting electricity usage. These initiatives include constructing houses with electric heating, installing electric boiler houses, and encouraging the population to transition to electric energy for heating purposes. These efforts are intended to integrate nuclear power plants into Belarus’s energy system.
The commissioned nuclear power plant is of such scale that it occasionally leads to periods of electricity overproduction. The inability to export surplus electricity poses challenges in maintaining the balance of electrical energy within the country.
As mentioned earlier, in 2023 electricity consumption increased by 6.6% (while GDP grew by 3.9%), and in the first four months of 2024, it rose by 9.7% (with GDP growth at 5.2%). The graph illustrates the correlation between changes in GDP and changes in electricity consumption. The significant increase in electricity consumption despite moderate economic growth suggests that the economy is predominantly driven by energy-intensive production sectors with low value-added (such as industry).
In 2023, the relative growth rate in electricity consumption matched the levels seen in 2010 (a period of intense economic stimulus) and 2021 (marked by robust industrial exports during the post-Covid recovery). However, the growth in consumption in 2024 exceeds these levels, indicating a further specialization of the Belarusian economy towards electricity-intensive production.
We anticipate that electricity consumption will continue to increase in 2024 and beyond, contingent upon ongoing economic stimulation in Belarus and the expanded involvement of Belarusian enterprises in supplying industrial goods to the Russian market, including those for military purposes.
