Fuel loading at unit 1 of the Belarus nuclear power plant is planned for July, deputy energy minister Mikhail Mikhadyuk said on 12 May at a video briefing in the BelTA press centre.
Preparations are now underway for the physical launch, Mikhadyuk added.
"The safety of the nuclear power plant is our top priority. Until we make sure that we are technologically ready (staff, all buildings, structures, physical protection of the facility are ready), we will not proceed to this stage," he said.
On 6 May the ministry announced the delivery of nuclear fuel to the nuclear power plant site.
The fuel was manufactured at the Novosibirsk Chemical Concentrates Plant (part of Russian fuel company TVEL).
The Belarus NPP with two VVER-1200 reactors is being built by Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom at Ostrovets (Grodno region).
The commissioning of Ostrovets 1 is scheduled for 2020 and unit 2 in 2021.
