Belarus is modernizing its power grids to meet the demand for electricity for heating

Energy supplying organizations will increase the pace of construction and modernization of the power grid infrastructure to meet the growing demand of the population for electricity for heating and hot water supply needs. This was reported to a BELTA correspondent by the Deputy Minister of Energy, Denis Moroz, commenting on the instructions given during the President's Address to the Belarusian people and the National Assembly.

The head of state noted that citizens have become seriously interested in using electricity for heating their homes, and they should be provided with this opportunity.

This work is organized in accordance with the long-term plans for the modernization of power grids, approved in agreement with the regional executive committees, which cover more than 1.5 thousand settlements. In total, about 5.7 thousand km of power grids will be commissioned over the five-year period.

"In 2023, it is planned to reconstruct and build more than 2 thousand km of overhead power transmission lines in the country, over 20 transformer substations of various voltage classes, including the completion of investment projects for the modernization of the 750 kV "Belorusskaya" high-voltage substation, the 220 kV "Stolbtsy" substation with its transfer to a higher voltage class of 330 kV," the deputy minister noted.

Thus, additional opportunities will be created for the growth of electricity consumption, including for heating and hot water supply purposes. According to Denis Moroz, over the past two years, the volume of electricity consumption by the population for these needs has increased more than 5 times, from 92.5 million kWh to 474.9 million kWh.

In the period from 2021 to 2022, about 665 thousand sq.m. of new multi-apartment electrified housing was commissioned, and 40.9 thousand applications from citizens (84%) for the issuance of technical specifications for connecting individual residential houses' electrical installations to power grids for the use of electrical energy for heating and hot water supply needs were satisfied.

The growth in electricity demand was largely facilitated by stimulating tariffs for the population, adopted at the level of the head of state, as well as the possibility of compensating for part of the citizens' expenses for electricity supply of operated housing stock within the framework of Decree No. 127 of April 14, 2020.

Source: belta.by