Dhaka, Moscow sign MOU to setup first nuke power plant

Anisur Rahman

Dhaka, May 14 (PTI) Bangladesh has signed an agreement with
Russia on civilian nuclear deal for Moscow's assistance in
installing the first nuke power plant in the country.

"Russia will assist in the development of nuclear energy
infrastructure in Bangladesh," reads the Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU).

Science and ICT Ministry secretary Nazmul Huda Khan and
deputy director general of the Russian State Atomic Energy
Corporation (Rosatom) NN Spasskiy signed the agreement
yesterday for setting up a nuclear power plant in Ruppur.

Under the current plan, initiated following the
International Atomic Energy Association(IAEA) green signal in
2007 for setting up nuke power plants, two 1000 megawatt
nuclear units will be set up at an estimated cost of USD 200
million which are expected to be operational by 2015.

Officials said the deal would enable Bangladesh to launch
negotiations to set up more nuclear power plants.

A high-powered Bangladesh delegation, led by State
Minister for Science and ICT Yafesh Osman is likely to visit
Moscow next month to follow up on the deal.

Dwindling reserve of natural gas, which now accounts for
90 per cent of electricity generated in the country is a cause
of worry for the newly elected Sheikh Hasina's government. PTI