Belarus has presented the proposals under the new energy efficiency project to the World Bank experts, BelTA learnt from Nikolai Akhramenka, director of the Belinvsetenergosberezhenie company.

A group of the World Bank experts headed by Pekka Salminen, WB Senior Energy Specialist, is in Belarus on July 22-25 to discuss the project “Increasing the energy efficiency in the Republic of Belarus”. On July 22 they met with seniour officials of the Energy Ministry, Energy Efficiency Department of the Sate Standard Service. They are set to have talks in the Belenergo company, Ministries of Economy and Finance.

The Energy Efficiency Department of the State Standard Service has prepared the feasibility reports concerning the modernisation of the first four facilities of the Housing and Utilities Ministry. These are boiler houses in Rechitsa, the village of Ruba (Vitebsk oblast), Borisov and in Oshmiany.

“The issue was discussed today. The WB experts were satisfied with the level of the preparation of the feasibility reports. On July 24 the delegation is expected to visit the boiler house in Borisov,” Nikolai Akhramenka said.

The WB representatives will also consider the proposals of Belenergo experts on the modernisation of the energy system facilities which are supposed to make part of the project.

The World Bank is planning to issue a $150mn loan to finance the new project in Belarus. The loan will be used to finance the reconstruction of Belenergo’s large boiler houses to convert them into CHP plants and modernisation of boiler houses of the Housing and Utilities Ministry.