22 December, Minsk /Anna Kot - BELTA/. The Government of Belarus will issue a guarantee to the China Development Bank for a loan to construct the Vitebsk Hydroelectric Power Station. This decision is contained in Resolution No. 1700 of the Council of Ministers dated 20 December of the current year, as reported to BELTA correspondent by the press service of the Belarusian government. Furthermore, the document stipulates to take note that personal responsibility for the implementation of the investment project for the construction of the Vitebsk Hydroelectric Power Station on the Western Dvina River within the established deadlines, the targeted use of the external loan funds from the China Development Bank for this project, as well as the timely repayment of the external loan, payment of interest for its use, commissions, and other payments, is assigned to the General Directors of the State Production Association of Electric Power Industry "Belenergo" and the Vitebsk Republican Unitary Enterprise of Electric Power Industry "Vitebskenergo". Control over the implementation of the investment project by the "Vitebskenergo" enterprise is assigned to the Minister of Energy of Belarus. The Vitebsk Hydroelectric Power Station with a capacity of 40 MW is planned to be commissioned on the Western Dvina River in 2015. The HPP will allow for the substitution of approximately 42 thousand tons of fuel annually. The China Development Bank will allocate $189 million for the financing of the project. The turnkey construction contract for the facility has been concluded with the China National Electric Equipment Corporation (CNEEC). -0-

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