Rosatom Technologies for Belarusian Energy: The First Touchscreen Simulator for a Thermal Power Plant

From Signing to Implementation

The contract for the development of a simulator to train operating personnel in managing T-250/300-240 power units at Minsk CHPP-4 was signed at the TIBO-2024 International ICT Forum in Minsk. On the Russian side, the project is led by ITC DZHET, part of Rosatom Service within the State Corporation’s Power Engineering Division. Its partner, Belenergomnaladka, is Belarus’s largest company specializing in the installation, maintenance, and calibration of energy equipment.

The project was praised by the state energy group Belenergo, and similar simulators are expected to be deployed at other power plants across Belarus. With over 30 years of experience, ITC DZHET has developed more than 50 training simulators for educational centers at Russian nuclear and thermal power plants, as well as facilities in Europe and Asia.

Touchscreen Panels: A New Era for Power Plant Training

For the first time in the history of thermal energy, the Minsk CHPP-4 simulator features interactive touchscreen panels. This software-hardware complex functions as a digital twin of power unit control systems.

All control devices, switches, and panels replicate the real ones in layout, dimensions, shape, and color — an essential condition for developing accurate operator reflexes.

“By December of this year, we will open the first specialized simulator at Minsk CHPP-4, followed by one at Mozyr CHPP next year. What’s most important is that this is a partnership with Belenergomnaladka — not just a technology import, but a genuine transfer of know-how. The industrial cooperation we’ve established will allow us to scale such projects not only in Russia but also in third countries.”

Stanislav Levitsky

Head of Rosatom’s Office in the Republic of Belarus

The system serves multiple purposes: training operational personnel, ensuring safe and reliable plant operation, practicing emergency response, and simulating equipment fault scenarios using real accident recording systems.

The simulator operates on a sophisticated mathematical model that replicates plant operating conditions in real time, providing an immersive, accurate training experience.

Why Minsk CHPP-4 Matters

Minsk Combined Heat and Power Plant No. 4 is the largest facility in the Belarusian power grid and one of the most advanced in the country. It supplies heating and hot water to 48% of Minsk’s residents and generates between 4.8 and 5 million Gcal of heat annually. With an installed capacity of 1,035 MW of electricity and 1,519 Gcal/h of heat, the plant operates three cogeneration turbines (280 MW total) and three 250 MW power units using subcritical steam parameters.

The facility’s diversified equipment, operating across different life cycles, integrates with five peak heating stations of Minsk Heat Networks into a unified, highly efficient system. Continuous upgrades and optimized fuel use make Minsk CHPP-4 a benchmark for energy efficiency in the region.

Evaluation and Plans for Expansion

Representatives from Belenergo have praised the success of Rosatom’s digital training solutions implemented at Belarus’s largest thermal power plant. Following performance evaluations and initial operation, a decision was made to roll out similar simulator systems at other power plants across the country.

This strategic move strengthens Russian-Belarusian cooperation in energy digitalization and paves the way for broader industrial technology exchange.