Dhaka: Energy-starved Bangladesh has signed a primary deal with Moscow for installing a 2,000-megawatt (MW) nuclear power plant with Russian assistance as talks were under way toward a final agreement in the next few months.
"We expect to sign the final deal during Prime Minister Shaikh Hasina's Moscow visit expectedly in April this year," state minister for Science and Technology Yafesh Osman told Gulf News as secretary of the ministry Abdur Rob Howlader inked the deal with deputy director general of Russian Atomic Energy Corporation Nickolay Spassky late yesterday.
He added that the two countries would now finalise technical details of the proposed deal ahead of the final agreement as Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission prepared the action plan for executing the NPP to meet the growing energy demands.
The deal came nine months after Dhaka signed a crucial framework agreement with Moscow on Russian cooperation for the country's maiden nuclear plant at northwestern Rooppur by 2017-18 at a cost of $1.5 billion (Dh5.51 billion) to 2 billion.
Third generation
"Both the sides agreed to install two third-generation reactors, each with 1,000MW capacity," a senior atomic energy commission official told Gulf News.
Officials familiar with the process earlier said Dhaka-Moscow cooperation under the agreement would include "design, construction and operation of nuclear power and research reactors; nuclear fuel supply, taking back the spent nuclear fuel and nuclear waste management". "As per the agreement, the parties shall assure the transfer of materials, technologies, equipment and services for implementation of joint programmes," the framework agreement read.
