The Belarus energy company Belenergo is to sign a credit agreement with a Chinese government owned bank to finance construction of the 40MW Vitebsk hydropower plant on the Western Dvina River by 2015.
A contract with China National Electric Equipment Corporation was signed in December 2010. The Chinese company will carry out design, construction, supply of the equipment and its installation, adjustment and commissioning. The corporation will also test the plant and put it into operation as well as maintaining it during the warranty period.
Belenergo continues to work on construction of the 22MW Polotsk hydropower plant on the Western Dvina (Vitebsk Oblast) which is scheduled to come on stream in 2014. The project is being implemented partly through a loan from the Eurasian Development Bank.
Belarus’ biggest hydropower capacities are concentrated in Grodno, Vitebsk and Mogilev Oblasts on the Neman, Western Dvina and Dnieper rivers. Current plans include the construction of two hydropower plants on the Neman River with a total capacity of 37MW, four on the Western Dvina (112MW) and four more on the Dnieper (20.3MW).