Lukashenko: Public support for Belarusian NPP grows from 60% to over 80%

Belarusian citizens' attitudes toward peaceful nuclear energy have improved following the construction and five years of operation of the NPP. President Alexander Lukashenko announced this at a meeting on the performance of the Belarusian NPP, the increase in electricity consumption, and proposals for the construction of new nuclear capacity, BELTA reports.

"Belarusians' attitudes toward peaceful nuclear energy have changed. According to sociologists, at the beginning of the construction of the Belarusian NPP, 60% of the population supported it, and today, taking into account the work and other positive factors, it is already over 80%," the head of state stated.

He noted that new opportunities for the economy with nuclear energy are seen not only in Belarus. This is already a global trend. Today, 416 nuclear reactors are in operation worldwide, with another 63 under construction. "Everyone who can is building," the President noted.

According to IAEA forecasts, the total capacity of nuclear power plants worldwide will more than double in the next 25 years, and the share of nuclear power in global electricity generation will increase to 12%.

"But just yesterday, many Western politicians were trying to focus exclusively on renewable energy. Today, they're already touting the advantages of building nuclear power plants; a new term has even emerged: 'renaissance of the nuclear industry.' This also applies to neighboring countries like Poland and Lithuania, which vehemently opposed the construction of our nuclear power plant," the Belarusian leader noted. "All this confirms the correctness of the path we've chosen."