Dhaka, Moscow sign deal

Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant construction

The Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC) and Russian company, JSC Atomstroyexport, on Friday signed a general contract for construction of Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) at a ceremony held at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel. BAEC Chairman Md Monirul Islam and Vice President of Atomstroyexport Vladimir N Savuskhin signed the contract on behalf of their respective organisations. Atomostroyexport, the contractor appointed by Russia's state-owned atomic power body , Rosatom, will construct the NPP at a cost of $12.65 billion, out of which, $10.1 billion has been fixed as base price, $1 billion for soil stabilisation and further cost, and the remaining $1.65 billion for price escalation. Speaking on the occasion, Chief Guest, Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith, said, "A very old dream has been realised today.”
"I was a government employee when the then Pakistan first thought of having a nuclear power plant in Rooppur. Due to political reasons, the government shelved the plan and we all thought that the dream of Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant had ended. Now, we are successfully on the verge of entering the elite club of countries who have nuclear power plants,” he said.
Muhuth said that Russia has pledged to complete two units of the Rooppur NPP by 2024. "I was told that it could have been completed by 2022 but given my experience with such large projects, it is safe to assume that the project will be completed by 2024.” He said safety is the first concern in having a NPP for the country. "Nuclear fallout could be fatal for such a heavily populated country such as Bangladesh,” he said. Speaking of disposal of nuclear waste, he said, "As per the contract, Russia will take care of the burnt nuclear fuel and dispose nuclear waste.” The Finance Minister said that Bangladesh will take care of infrastructure to bring machinery needed for construction of the NPP.
Science and Technology Minister Yeafesh Osman said nuclear technology should be used in developing countries as after implementation, NPPs provide the cheapest electricity.
State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Shahariar Alam, said that in 2010, he had the privilege of being in the parliamentary standing committee of the Science and Technology Ministry. "I spoke for 20 minutes in parliament for the motion of Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant. It had been a dream for 60 years. Today, it has materialised,” he said.
Energy Adviser to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Tawfique-E-Elahi Chowdhury, said that the Rooppur NPP is the PM’s New Year gift to the people of Bangladesh. "By completing signing of the general contract for Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, Bangladesh, from today, has entered the prestigious club of countries that use nuclear power for peaceful purposes,” he said.
Russian Ambassador to Bangladesh, Alexander A Nikolaev, said that the day is a milestone in Bangladesh-Russia’s bilateral relationship. "The NPP will be a testament of the friendship between the two countries,” he said.

Dhaka, Moscow sign deal

Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant construction

The Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC) and Russian company, JSC Atomstroyexport, on Friday signed a general contract for construction of Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) at a ceremony held at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel. BAEC Chairman Md Monirul Islam and Vice President of Atomstroyexport Vladimir N Savuskhin signed the contract on behalf of their respective organisations. Atomostroyexport, the contractor appointed by Russias state-owned atomic power body , Rosatom, will construct the NPP at a cost of $12.65 billion, out of which, $10.1 billion has been fixed as base price, $1 billion for soil stabilisation and further cost, and the remaining $1.65 billion for price escalation. Speaking on the occasion, Chief Guest, Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith, said, A very old dream has been realised today. I was a government employee when the then Pakistan first thought of having a nuclear power plant in Rooppur. Due to political reasons, the government shelved the plan and we all thought that the dream of Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant had ended. Now, we are successfully on the verge of entering the elite club of countries who have nuclear power plants, he said. Muhuth said that Russia has pledged to complete two units of the Rooppur NPP by 2024. I was told that it could have been completed by 2022 but given my experience with such large projects, it is safe to assume that the project will be completed by 2024. He said safety is the first concern in having a NPP for the country. Nuclear fallout could be fatal for such a heavily populated country such as Bangladesh, he said. Speaking of disposal of nuclear waste, he said, As per the contract, Russia will take care of the burnt nuclear fuel and dispose nuclear waste. The Finance Minister said that Bangladesh will take care of infrastructure to bring machinery needed for construction of the NPP. Science and Technology Minister Yeafesh Osman said nuclear technology should be used in developing countries as after implementation, NPPs provide the cheapest electricity. State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Shahariar Alam, said that in 2010, he had the privilege of being in the parliamentary standing committee of the Science and Technology Ministry. I spoke for 20 minutes in parliament for the motion of Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant. It had been a dream for 60 years. Today, it has materialised, he said. Energy Adviser to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Tawfique-E-Elahi Chowdhury, said that the Rooppur NPP is the PMs New Year gift to the people of Bangladesh. By completing signing of the general contract for Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, Bangladesh, from today, has entered the prestigious club of countries that use nuclear power for peaceful purposes, he said. Russian Ambassador to Bangladesh, Alexander A Nikolaev, said that the day is a milestone in Bangladesh-Russias bilateral relationship. The NPP will be a testament of the friendship between the two countries, he said.