Proposed Ruppur nuclear plant to produce 600mw initially: Osman
Sunday, 20 September 2009
aState Minister for Science and ICT Yafez Osman has said the proposed nuclear plant in northwestern Ruppur is expected to produce initially at least 600-mw electricity as the country reached an initial understanding with Russia for technological assistance for the ambitious project, reports BSS.
"We will have elaborate talks with Moscow for technological supports for the project but it depends on Russia what type of assistance it would offer."
The minister said this to the news agency Friday as the country's desperate efforts for power increased generation sends him next month to the Russian capital for discussion.
Officials earlier said they expected the plant to generate 600-1000mw power.
They said Osman would lead an eight-member delegation to Moscow to visit their nuclear energy installations and talks with Russian authorities on the possible assistance for the Bangladesh's first such nuclear venture estimated to cost 150 dollar million.
Bangladesh and Russia in May this year signed a deal on nuclear energy for Moscow's assistance in installing the first ever nuclear power plant with the memorandum of understanding (MoU) saying "Russia will assist in the development of nuclear energy infrastructure in Bangladesh".
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 in Dhaka for peaceful co-operation on the use of nuclear energy.
Under the MoU Russia will supply Bangladesh with nuclear materials and provide services in the field of nuclear fuel cycle in accordance with national legislation of the two states and international treaties to which both Bangladesh and Russia are parties.
Bangladesh planned to install nuclear power stations 44 years ago in 1964 when 259.90 acres of land were acquired for the project at Ruppur while a draft was also signed with Canada at that time.
International Atomic Energy Association (IAEA) allowed Bangladesh to install nuclear power plants in 2007 along with seven other developing nations while Russia, France, South Korea, China and Pakistan expressed their interest to offer their assistance for developing the infrastructure.
Under the current plan, initiated following the IAEA green signal, two nuclear power units with capacity of 1000 megawatt will be installed at Ruppur against the backdrop of dwindling reserve of natural gas, which now accounts for 90 per cent of electricity generated in the country.
Officials earlier said the deal would enable Bangladesh to launch negotiations to set up nuclear power plants but contracts for such projects between the countries depended on future negotiations.
An official at the ministry said Bangladesh preferred Russian technologies as the Russian authorities offered competitive prices for the installation of nuclear plants.
In the backdrop of nagging power crisis the new government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina after its assumption of office in January ordered scaling up negotiations for at least two nuclear power units.
The authorities were asked to complete the initial nuclear projects by 2015 though the country was yet to decide how to manage funds for the nuclear power plants with officials saying they planned to seek soft-term loans from international donors.
The government recently formulated a vision plan as part of its desperate efforts to augment electricity generation amid growing demands while the poor power supply is estimated to cost around two percent in GDP growth each year according a study of the World Bank (WB).
"We will have elaborate talks with Moscow for technological supports for the project but it depends on Russia what type of assistance it would offer."
The minister said this to the news agency Friday as the country's desperate efforts for power increased generation sends him next month to the Russian capital for discussion.
Officials earlier said they expected the plant to generate 600-1000mw power.
They said Osman would lead an eight-member delegation to Moscow to visit their nuclear energy installations and talks with Russian authorities on the possible assistance for the Bangladesh's first such nuclear venture estimated to cost 150 dollar million.
Bangladesh and Russia in May this year signed a deal on nuclear energy for Moscow's assistance in installing the first ever nuclear power plant with the memorandum of understanding (MoU) saying "Russia will assist in the development of nuclear energy infrastructure in Bangladesh".
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 in Dhaka for peaceful co-operation on the use of nuclear energy.
Under the MoU Russia will supply Bangladesh with nuclear materials and provide services in the field of nuclear fuel cycle in accordance with national legislation of the two states and international treaties to which both Bangladesh and Russia are parties.
Bangladesh planned to install nuclear power stations 44 years ago in 1964 when 259.90 acres of land were acquired for the project at Ruppur while a draft was also signed with Canada at that time.
International Atomic Energy Association (IAEA) allowed Bangladesh to install nuclear power plants in 2007 along with seven other developing nations while Russia, France, South Korea, China and Pakistan expressed their interest to offer their assistance for developing the infrastructure.
Under the current plan, initiated following the IAEA green signal, two nuclear power units with capacity of 1000 megawatt will be installed at Ruppur against the backdrop of dwindling reserve of natural gas, which now accounts for 90 per cent of electricity generated in the country.
Officials earlier said the deal would enable Bangladesh to launch negotiations to set up nuclear power plants but contracts for such projects between the countries depended on future negotiations.
An official at the ministry said Bangladesh preferred Russian technologies as the Russian authorities offered competitive prices for the installation of nuclear plants.
In the backdrop of nagging power crisis the new government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina after its assumption of office in January ordered scaling up negotiations for at least two nuclear power units.
The authorities were asked to complete the initial nuclear projects by 2015 though the country was yet to decide how to manage funds for the nuclear power plants with officials saying they planned to seek soft-term loans from international donors.
The government recently formulated a vision plan as part of its desperate efforts to augment electricity generation amid growing demands while the poor power supply is estimated to cost around two percent in GDP growth each year according a study of the World Bank (WB).