Lukashenko calls for wider use of electricity for house heating

01.11.2023

We need to create more conditions for people to heat their houses with the help of electricity, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko said as he received a report on the completion of the BelNPP construction and increasing the availability of electricity for house heating, BelTA has learned.

According to the head of state, the country's electricity output has increased thanks to the commissioning of the Belarusian nuclear power plant (BelNPP). “We had enough electricity in general, and for industry, and for agriculture and for people to a certain extent. I would not say we get excessive [volumes of electricity] today. We get reserves,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.

In his words, electricity consumption will be growing, and people will get support in this regard. For example, more electricity will be used to heat homes. “The focus is on people. We have recently taken a look at the heating service in a rural settlement [in Novaya Okolitsa near Minsk], which construction is supervised by Deputy Prime Minister Anatoly Sivak. I should say it is simply great – clean and neat. It is much better than gas boilers and heating. I am not even talking about coal and so on. The climate is changing, it is very important for us,” the president said.

The head of state emphasized that the use of electricity for heating homes is not only profitable but it is also a clean and safe technology.

“Therefore, it was the right decision to offer electricity to people. Prices are affordable. People say that it is even cheaper than gas heating. These are incomparable things. But somewhere we fall short in terms of networks [the capacity to provide such an opportunity to everyone who needs it],” Aleksandr Lukashenko said. Currently we cannot satisfy some 10-15% of relevant requests from citizens.

The head of state said that systematic work was being carried out to solve the matter. Although much has been done, it is still not enough - there is a sharp increase in demand from the population.

“We need to extend the networks. Roughly speaking, this wire needs to reach people's houses. We need to do this since we have promised our people. Yes, the demand has increased dramatically. People understand that this is a very profitable matter. We have enough electricity. We need to help our people. We live and work for helping our people,” the Belarusian leader said.

He asked to report on the current situation in the matter and its prospects. The issue of expanding the use of electric transport is also high on the agenda. “We are gradually developing our electric transport. This is also the right thing to do. We decided to develop this area just in time,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.

The president added that, despite the country has reserves, it is undesirable for other capacities to be idle or operate in the so-called cold mode. He cited the Bereza and Lukoml state district power stations as examples. The head of state was said that there were options to use them to the full. “There are options for loading them and these options are very favorable for the state. We need to continue working in this regard,” the Belarusian leader said.

Written by belta.by