Consider setting up 2nd nuclear power plant
PM tells Rosatom chief during meeting at Gono Bhaban
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday requested Russia's state-run atomic energy agency Rosatom to consider building a second nuclear power plant in Rooppur.
She made the request when Rosatom DG Alexey Likhachev called on her at the Gono Bhaban.
Briefing reporters after the meeting, PM's speech writer M Nazrul Islam said Hasina told Rosatom that her government seeks to build another nuclear power plant at Rooppur on completion of the ongoing project.
She pointed out that a technical survey needs to be conducted at the initial stage of setting up two new units.
The premier directed the authorities concerned to complete all formalities of taking back spent nuclear fuel from the first and second units of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant to Russia.
The DG of Rosatom, on behalf of the Russian government, assured the PM of taking back spent nuclear fuel to Russia and pledged to complete all the necessary formalities on time as per the instructions of the prime minister.
Dhaka and Moscow have already signed an agreement regarding the return of the spent nuclear fuel from the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant to Russia.
Hasina thanked Russia for helping Bangladesh with energy security, especially the construction of the Rooppur power plant.
She said it was the dream of Bangabandhu to set up a nuclear power plant in Bangladesh, and the project is being implemented.
She remembered the assistance of Russia during the Liberation War in 1971 and subsequent help in rebuilding the war-ravaged country.
The PM also conveyed her greetings to Russian President Vladimir Putin on his re-election.
The Rosatom DG apprised Hasina of the progress in building the Rooppur power plant. He said 85 percent work of the RNPP has been completed. He said the plant will start production by 2025.
He proposed building two new nuclear power units (Unit-3 and 4) in the Rooppur nuclear power project area.
The DG noted that the construction of the new units should start as soon as the construction of the first two units is completed.
In this context, he also said the expansion of existing nuclear power projects is more profitable and reasonable from a financial point of view and in light of technical and nuclear safety, which is considered internationally.
He said some 2,500 staffers, including Bangladeshis and Russians, have been working on the project.
Hasina asked the Rosatom DG to utilise Bangladeshi expertise in other nuclear power plant construction projects.
Science and Technology Minister Yeafesh Osman was present at the meeting, among others.
The construction of two units, each with a capacity of 1,200MW, in the Rooppur project area is in the final stage.