Bangladesh took another step towards nuclear power generation Wednesday as Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina laid the foundation stone of 2,000MW Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant project.
“It is my belief that the Russian Federation will follow international standards in every stage of the [first phase] Rooppur NPP implementation and provide Bangladesh with a technology that would operate safely and effectively under any climatic condition,” she said at the inauguration of the project.
Addressing the function, Hasina said during bilateral consultation, she had requested Russian President Vladimir Putin to consider an innovative and friendly approach in the construction of the project.
This, she said, should follow safest of reactor designs and be capable of withstanding any severe man-made or natural event including earthquakes, tsunamis, and flooding while generating electricity in a safe, secure and economic manner.
“The Russian president assured me of providing the latest and safest nuclear technology for the RNPP,” she said.
Mentioning that safety was the topmost priority for the project, she said to embark on a nuclear
power programme, her government had given priority to the issues of development of an appropriate nuclear infrastructure based on the IAEA Safety Standards and other relevant guidance as well as international good practices.
She said an independent nuclear regulatory authority, named Bangladesh Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority (BAERA), was formed and bilateral relationships with the nuclear regulatory body of Russia as well as the IAEA had been established for the capacity building of the BAERA.
“Our nuclear energy programme is very transparent. The country has signed all the major international treaties, agreements and protocols related to the nuclear non-proliferation.”
Hasina said her government had taken up a master plan to produce 20,000MW of electricity by 2021.
Former prime minister of Russia and Director General of Russia’s State Atomic Energy Commission (Rosatom) Sergey Kirienko said this nuclear power plant in Rooppur would contribute to the development of the country and it would resist extreme natural disasters like earthquake and tsunami.
Assuring that highest international standards would be followed, Kirienko said this project would make a great contribution towards Bangladesh’s economy with the cheap and sustainable sources of electricity, apart from creating employment opportunities.
The function, chaired by State Minister for Science and Technology Architect Yeafesh Osman, was organised jointly by the ministry and Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC).
Under an agreement with the Bangladesh government, Rosatom will construct two units of the RNPP, each 1,000MW capacity, at a cost of $1.5bn to $2bn.
The project cost for the first phase of work has been estimated atTk52.42bn. Of the amount, Bangladesh government will provide Tk10.87bn, while the Russian government will give Tk40bn under state export credit.
