BELARUSTV — broadcast
20260813 000500 UTC
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[00:01:00] As a professional, I've visited many different corners of our country, but
[00:01:03] every time I admire the beauty of Belarusian
[00:01:06] nature, endless forests, fields, thousands
[00:01:10] of lakes and picturesque rivers. And water is
[00:01:13] truly our national wealth. But
[00:01:17] have you ever thought that this is not just beauty, but also
[00:01:20] a powerful source
[00:01:21] of energy?
[00:01:33] After all, water is one of the most unruly elements on the planet. It can destroy
[00:01:37] roads and flood entire villages. But in this case, man
[00:01:40] found a way to negotiate with nature: a hydroelectric power station
[00:01:44] tames the energy of water, turning its destructive force into
[00:01:48] peaceful kilowatt-hours. Yes, in our country there are no wild mountain
[00:01:51] waterfalls, our rivers are calm, but deceptively powerful, so
[00:01:55] hydroelectric power plants in Belarus are the norm against
[00:01:57] the rules.
[00:02:08] In Belarus there are 53 hydroelectric power stations,
[00:02:12] whose total capacity is 96 MW. To
[00:02:16] understand this, it is enough to provide electricity
[00:02:19] to a city with a population of 50,000 people,
[00:02:23] for example, Gorki Rogachev or Galinkovichi. Our hydroelectric power plants are
[00:02:27] low-head and everything here is determined by
[00:02:30] the terrain, which in the republic is flat. At the same time,
[00:02:33] hydroelectric power plants play an important role in the local
[00:02:36] energy system. This is the replacement of imported gas,
[00:02:40] tens of millions of cubic meters, and the diversification of energy
[00:02:44] sources and environmentally clean generation, without harmful
[00:02:47] emissions into the atmosphere. The largest complexes are the Vitebsk
[00:02:51] HPP and
[00:02:52] Polotsk.
[00:03:00] The Vitebsk hydroelectric power station is the most
[00:03:02] powerful in the country, located on the Western Dvina, a river that is one of
[00:03:06] the largest in Belarus, second in water content
[00:03:10] after the Dnieper. Its length is 328 km,
[00:03:13] the average width of the channel ranges from 50 to 300
[00:03:17] m. The current is quite fast, which allows it to be
[00:03:21] a source of energy. The local HPP is a typical,
[00:03:24] run-of-river, low-head hydroelectric power station,
[00:03:27] which includes a concrete pre-assembly
[00:03:31] and an earth fill dam and distribution
[00:03:34] device. Let's go over the main characteristics: annual
[00:03:38] electricity production - 138 million
[00:03:40] kilowatt-hours, capacity 40 MW, reservoir
[00:03:44] area - 822 hectares, capacity just over
[00:03:47] 4 million cubic meters, commissioned in 2017.
[00:03:51] According to
[00:03:54] design values, the HPP should
[00:03:57] produce 130 million
[00:04:02] on average, in practice, if we take the statistics for the last 5 years, this figure has
[00:04:06] varied from 127 to 157 million
[00:04:09] kilowatt-hours per year, but this all depends on the river's
[00:04:12] water level, because the main and only source
[00:04:16] of energy is the water in the Western Dvina river. Depending on the year,
[00:04:19] on precipitation, on
[00:04:23] snow cover in winter, our output depends.
[00:04:26] A large hydroelectric power station could have appeared here much earlier.
[00:04:30] In 1956, the project "Vitebsk
[00:04:33] Sea" was created. Its main goal was a global economic and
[00:04:37] ecological restructuring of the region. 15
[00:04:40] research institutes of the USSR
[00:04:43] planned to turn the upper reaches of the Western Dvina into a powerful
[00:04:46] energy and transport hub. A powerful Vitebsk HPP was also
[00:04:50] planned here. The artificial sea would have created
[00:04:54] a gigantic water head, necessary for the turbines to operate at full
[00:04:57] capacity. The river was to become part of a deepwater
[00:05:01] transport system of the country, which would allow large-tonnage
[00:05:04] vessels to freely travel from the regional center to the Baltic
[00:05:08] Sea and back, but the idea remained
[00:05:11] just an idea. At that time, its implementation required
[00:05:14] disproportionate financial injections. The issue was
[00:05:18] revisited at the end of the 2000s,
[00:05:21] when the question arose of replacing expensive
[00:05:24] energy resources intended for electricity
[00:05:27] generation. The construction of a cascade of hydroelectric
[00:05:30] power plants on the Western Dvina river, consisting of
[00:05:33] four stations, was studied: the Vitebsk
[00:05:36] hydroelectric power station, Beshenkovichi HPP,
[00:05:39] Polotsk HPP, and Verkhnedvinsk HPP. All of this
[00:05:43] came to fruition with the implementation of the Vitebsk HPP.
[00:05:55] If we talk about the current stage of the HPP's operation, here
[00:05:58] four horizontal capsule hydro-units
[00:06:02] with a capacity of 10 MW each are installed. The energy produced as a result of water
[00:06:06] pressure is supplied to a step-up transformer
[00:06:09] substation. Passing through the winding turns, every
[00:06:13] 10 kW obtained is increased to 110. All
[00:06:16] the electricity that is generated here is sent to
[00:06:20] the general ring system, so it is impossible to say exactly where
[00:06:23] it is used, but it is clear that the complex is capable
[00:06:27] of supplying the entire Vitebsk region. I want to understand,
[00:06:31] for me as a layman, I imagine a HPP in the mountains,
[00:06:35] it's tens, perhaps hundreds of meters
[00:06:38] high, it's clear why the water there gives more energy.
[00:06:42] Here we have a small bubbling,
[00:06:45] well, how appropriate then is it
[00:06:49] to build, construct,
[00:06:53] and operate a HPP here? Well, about the bubbling, this is what you call
[00:06:56] bubbling - it is the exit of water from the flow-through
[00:07:00] turbine, that is, it is a water stream that rushes from
[00:07:03] the upper headrace and presses on the turbine blades, exiting into
[00:07:06] the lower headrace, creating that very
[00:07:10] bubbling. The electricity generation, as you
[00:07:13] said, in mountainous areas, there are more powerful
[00:07:16] hydroelectric power stations. Here the principle of operation is similar, but due to
[00:07:19] the fact that we have a small difference in
[00:07:23] levels between the upper headrace and the lower headrace water levels,
[00:07:27] as I said, the nominal head is 9.1
[00:07:31] m. For a simple layman, the head is the difference in water
[00:07:33] levels. So, due to the difference in water levels, we create
[00:07:37] a head. That's why there were 10 megawatts.
[00:07:40] 29
[00:07:53] people, 10 of whom are operational staff, and
[00:07:56] 19 are managers, specialists, and workers. The work is completely
[00:08:00] automated, readings from all sensors are displayed on
[00:08:03] a special panel. In the engine room, seven floors deep,
[00:08:07] hydro-units are installed. Every
[00:08:09] second, through the guide vane of the generator.
[00:08:25] On your screens is a navigation lock. Let's immediately clarify
[00:08:28] that it does not belong to the energy sector,
[00:08:31] although it is located on the territory of the Vitebsk HPP, but we cannot
[00:08:34] ignore it, it is very impressive. This is
[00:08:38] a single-chamber, single-line lock, the length of the usable chamber is
[00:08:53] a water level drop of 13
[00:08:55] m.
[00:08:59] In the Vitebsk region is located the second most powerful station,
[00:09:03] we are talking about the Polotsk HPP. It is also located on the Western Dvina.
[00:09:07] This is a low-head run-of-river station,
[00:09:09] including an earth and concrete pre-assembly dam
[00:09:13] with six segmental gates, with a design
[00:09:16] head of almost 8 m. Let's compare the characteristics
[00:09:20] of the two complexes. The capacity of Polotsk is slightly more than
[00:09:23] 21.5 megawatts, Vitebsk -
[00:09:26] 40. The average annual output is 112 million
[00:09:29] kilowatt-hours versus 138. The number
[00:09:33] of hydro-units at Polotsk is 5 turbines, at Vitebsk - 4.
[00:09:36] We are in the machine hall, here we have
[00:09:39] the main equipment located. It consists of five
[00:09:43] hydro-units, for each hydro-unit,
[00:09:47] we are directly located near the steel shaft, in which
[00:09:51] the main hydro-power equipment is
[00:09:54] located. We can observe here that at the moment we have
[00:09:57] the multiplier itself, which is a
[00:09:59] gear transmission that transmits the rotating
[00:10:03] moment to the generator, and this energy
[00:10:07] is converted into electricity by means of an
[00:10:11] excitation system for the generator and is then transmitted to the substation and fed into
[00:10:14] the grid. The Polotsk HPP was designed taking into account the ecology
[00:10:17] of flat rivers. The low water head minimizes
[00:10:21] flooding of adjacent territories, preserving the natural
[00:10:25] landscape. Again, everything is automated,
[00:10:28] that is, you don't need to turn valves manually,
[00:10:31] the computer itself calculates how much water flows in the river and
[00:10:34] automatically changes the angle of the blades to
[00:10:37] generate maximum current. If the level
[00:10:40] drops, the system automatically shuts off excess
[00:10:43] turbines. Let me remind you once again, the output is
[00:10:46] 112 million kilowatt-hours per year.
[00:10:49] This environmentally friendly energy is enough to completely
[00:10:53] cover the electricity needs
[00:10:55] of the entire Polotsk region, including residential buildings, schools,
[00:10:59] hospitals, but not including industrial giants like
[00:11:02] Naftan. When the Polotsk hydroelectric power station was
[00:11:05] put into operation, a significant
[00:11:09] economic effect from
[00:11:11] its commissioning and the construction of the HPP
[00:11:14] is, perhaps, a reduction in the cost of generated
[00:11:18] electrical energy, and accordingly, with a reduction in cost, we have
[00:11:21] a decrease in fuel. the organic component, that is,
[00:11:25] fuel oil, and of course, the preservation of the total
[00:11:29] generated electrical energy due to these two components, a reduction
[00:11:32] in cost and a reduction in organic
[00:11:35] fuel.
[00:11:37] Belarusian hydroelectric power stations
[00:11:44] are not only unique energy complexes, they are
[00:11:47] also impressive architecture, that is,
[00:11:51] industrial tourism in its purest form. And
[00:11:54] here, first of all, we are talking about small
[00:11:57] structures. One of the most beautiful is the HPP Druzhba
[00:12:00] Narodov on the Prorva River in the Braslav district of the Vitebsk
[00:12:03] region. This is a unique monument of Soviet industrial
[00:12:07] architecture in the Stalinist Empire style.
[00:12:21] The main uniqueness of Druzhba Narodov lies not in
[00:12:25] megawatts, but in its geopolitical and cultural significance for
[00:12:29] the USSR. It was built at the junction of the borders of Belarus, Lithuania, and
[00:12:32] Latvia. In November 1951,
[00:12:36] three neighboring border collective farms decided to unite
[00:12:39] forces for common electrification. Now,
[00:12:42] of course, it's hard to imagine. The station was supposed to make
[00:12:46] the village of Dresvyaty exemplary in the Soviet
[00:12:49] Union. For this reason, the long construction period and the subsequent
[00:12:52] solemn opening were thoroughly
[00:12:55] covered in the Soviet media, starting from local
[00:12:59] publications and ending with the All-Union newspaper Pravda.
[00:13:02] The shock construction was dedicated to large and small prose,
[00:13:06] films, and even operetta. An interesting
[00:13:08] fact: during the construction of the foundation pit, tons of imported
[00:13:12] artillery gunpowder, which did not burn completely,
[00:13:15] were used in an original way. For a long time, its remains could
[00:13:19] be found in the vicinity of the hydroelectric power station. At
[00:13:23] the solemn launch of the nineteenth.
[00:13:56] Therefore,
[00:13:58] the deadlines are very tight, fast, and
[00:14:02] the quality is good. Despite the fact that the HPP Druzhba Narodov in
[00:14:05] the village of Dresvyaty has not been operating for a long
[00:14:09] time, in the 1970s,
[00:14:13] the station was deemed unprofitable and mothballed. After
[00:14:16] the collapse of the USSR, the HPP was finally abandoned, but
[00:14:20] this does not prevent it from attracting tourists from Belarus and neighboring
[00:14:23] countries. Some come here to reminisce
[00:14:27] about the bygone Soviet era, some are simply
[00:14:30] curious, and others admire the grandiose Soviet
[00:14:33] architecture, over which time has no power. On the facade
[00:14:37] of the hydroelectric power station, Soviet symbols have been preserved
[00:14:40] to this day. The HPP guarantees every tourist
[00:14:43] a stunning panoramic view of the endless Belarusian
[00:14:46] expanses, where even European landscapes can be seen
[00:14:49] in the distance.
[00:14:56] Yes, the station right now looks like an architectural monument and
[00:14:59] a water level regulator, but that's only at first glance.
[00:15:03] Energy workers are continuing a large-scale overhaul of the facility. By
[00:15:06] 2030, the HPP should be operating at
[00:15:09] full capacity. Significant costs
[00:15:13] are not required today to install two
[00:15:17] turbines, install two generators, and indeed, to use the electrical
[00:15:20] energy from
[00:15:23] the river's potential
[00:15:25] for the benefit of our energy sector. I think
[00:15:28] we will still
[00:15:31] fully implement this project by 2030. What
[00:15:35] will its capacity be?
[00:16:09] clean energy. This allows the country not to burn and to save
[00:16:13] about 32-33 million cubic meters of natural
[00:16:17] gas per year. Unlike TPPs, where expensive equipment
[00:16:20] wears out in 25-30 years,
[00:16:23] concrete dams of HPPs are built with a service life of 100-150
[00:16:27] years. Small and large HPPs increase the reliability
[00:16:30] of local power supply. And in case of accidents on central grids,
[00:16:33] local hydroelectric power stations are able to maintain the operation of district
[00:16:37] hospitals, schools, and the residential
[00:16:39] sector.
[00:16:45] In our modern world, the topic of green energy seems to be just
[00:16:48] a beautiful trend. But do not be mistaken, because
[00:16:52] for Belarus this is energy security and
[00:16:55] independence, although we don't even think about it,
[00:16:59] because everything works so efficiently and reliably that
[00:17:02] it is already taken
[00:17:04] for granted.
[00:18:48] Comrade Lauriana, I am glad to welcome you. So,
[00:18:51] let's begin. I know that you attend many international
[00:18:54] events, political, economic, including
[00:18:58] those that take place in the CIS
[00:19:01] space. And from the last thing you attended was
[00:19:05] the economic forum. And...
[00:20:07] of which Russia and Belarus are a fundamental pillar, we must
[00:20:11] highlight our participation in the International Economic Forum in Saint
[00:20:14] Petersburg. When we participated in the economic forum
[00:20:18] in St. Petersburg, we were able to meet with the chairman
[00:20:21] of the National Bank of Belarus.
[00:20:25] Where we had a very important meeting with the
[00:20:29] president of the National Bank of Belarus, our
[00:20:31] brother.
[00:20:34] So, in this meeting.
[00:21:22] We also signed with Roman Golovchenko an agreement
[00:21:25] on banking cooperation between Belarus and
[00:21:28] Nicaragua. This greatly contributes to our
[00:21:31] interaction, and we will be able to develop economic and financial
[00:21:35] ties, as well as to find
[00:21:38] with illegal
[00:21:40] and
[00:21:48] blockades.
[00:24:20] Our government, led by Commander Daniel Ortega
[00:24:24] and Comrade Rosario Murillo, works under the general
[00:24:27] leadership of the National
[00:24:29] Party.
[00:24:37] And the message that our president sent during the celebration of the triumph of the Sandinista
[00:24:40] Revolution was very clear and concise. In Nicaragua,
[00:24:44] there will be no more elections that can be influenced by, or in which
[00:24:47] traitors to the homeland can participate.
[00:25:52] defend above all peace in Nicaragua, our
[00:25:55] sovereignty, our national dignity. The defamation
[00:25:58] campaigns in the Western media.