Nuclear cooperation between Russia and Bangladesh brings benefits for Bangladesh
Work on the Rooppur nuclear power plant on the banks of the Padma River in Rooppur in the Pabna district of Bangladesh, the most expensive power plant in the country, is proceeding rapidly. This is one of the important projects of the current government’s 10 megaprojects. Bangladesh will set an example for the whole world including South Asia in terms of the peaceful uses of nuclear power. According to Bangladesh, Bangladesh will enter the age of nuclear power generation. The nuclear activity in Bangladesh is very peaceful just to generate it for electricity. Bangladesh wants to meet the enormous electricity needs of the growing factories and companies. Today, Bangladesh is an energy-hungry country. It launched its nuclear program with the signing of a treaty with Russia in 2013.
The new door of bilateral cooperation between Russia and Bangladesh was opened in 2013 by this agreement. At that time, the two countries signed a state export credit agreement with the nuclear-armed country to implement a nuclear project in Bangladesh. Against this background, the work of the Rooppur nuclear power plant in the Pabna district in Bangladesh began with direct financial and technical cooperation from Russia.
The government of Bangladesh is now implementing its 10 visionary mega-projects. There are garment factories in Bangladesh that produce a large number of productions. On the other hand, electricity consumption is increasing day by day. So Bangladesh needs electricity. Bangladesh is trying its best to increase electricity production. In 2009 the power generation was 3200 MW; Now it has exceeded 20,000 MW. Two reactors with a capacity of 1200 MW are being built in Rooppur. When production starts from the first nuclear power plant in Bangladesh, it will undoubtedly trigger another revolution in the country’s development.
Even in the midst of the corona epidemic, his work continues at a normal pace. Those affected hope that the work will be completed on schedule. The first of the two blocks of the 1200 megawatt project will go into operation in 2023 and the second in 2024. There is no alternative to energy and electricity security for the desired development and progress of a country. Bangladesh is to be upgraded to an industrialized country by 2041. With this goal in mind, a comprehensive power generation program was launched. With growing economic activity, it is essential to secure the power supply as a driving force. In addition to the construction of large gas oil power plants, several power plants and nuclear power plants are being built. The Prime Minister also mentioned the construction of another nuclear power plant. It will be in the south. The aim of these initiatives and projects is to meet the growing demand for electricity.
Bangladesh has entered the age of atomic energy. In a video conference from Ganobhaban (the official residence of the BD Prime Minister) on October 10, 2021, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the installation of the first nuclear reactor pressure vessel at the Rooppur nuclear power plant under construction in the Pabna district of Bangladesh. The installation of this reactor is considered to be the most important step in the commissioning of a nuclear power plant.
After Rooppur in Pabna, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina sought cooperation from Russia in the construction of another nuclear power plant in the south of the country. She hoped that the Russian nuclear authority Rostom would cooperate with Bangladesh in this regard in the future. The issue was discussed in Ganobhaban on the morning of October 11, 2021, when the Directorate-General of the Russian State Atomic Energy Agency paid a courtesy visit to Rosatom.
Now Bangladesh is looking for Russia’s cooperation in the construction of another nuclear power plant.
Since the start of the original construction in 2016, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been talking about the state’s plan to build another nuclear power plant in the south of the country. On October 11, 2021, she spoke in the same context at the installation ceremony for the first unit in Rooppur.
We have come a long way since the implementation of the nuclear project in cooperation with Russia. That is why Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has asked the country for help with the construction of the country’s second power plant.
Alexei Likhachev, Director General of the Russian State Nuclear Agency ROSATOM, met with the Prime Minister in Ganobhaban on the morning of October 11.
In this appeal for courtesy, the Prime Minister urged the country to continue to cooperate in the nuclear sector. The Prime Minister stressed the importance of safety and called on the Director General of Rosatom to train the local population to operate the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP).
At that time the ROSATOM boss said that his country wanted more cooperation in the energy sector in Bangladesh. Alexey Likhachev also informed Sheikh Hasina about the construction and implementation deadline in Rooppur.
Alexei Likhachev said that Bangladesh-Russia mutual cooperation has entered the nuclear field and Bangladesh will become a nuclear power by 2023.
He said they would train Bangladeshis to run the RNPP and continue their cooperation in the Bangladesh energy sector.
Nuclear scientists call this reactor the heart of a nuclear power plant. After completion of the construction work, the two blocks of the Rooppur Center will generate 2,400 MW of electricity. Construction work on the Rooppur project took it a step further by installing reactor pressure vessels.
The people of Bangladesh hope that electricity generation will start after the project is completed on schedule. The Rooppur project will include two blocks of reactors with VVR technology with a capacity of 1,200 MW. According to the schedule, Unit-1 will be launched in 2023 and Unit-2 in 2024.
It is known that the Rooppur nuclear power plant used Russia’s best tactics, years of experience and scientific thinking. A senior official involved in the project said the power plant’s unique combination of active and passive systems would ensure the center’s safe operation and planned power generation.
We hope that nuclear power will not only solve the problem of energy supply in Bangladesh, but also make an important contribution to the development of the quality of life of the people as a whole. The construction of the Rooppur nuclear power plant initially cost more than 1 lakh 13 thousand 92 crore 91 lakh Bangladeshi Takas. Despite the epidemic, thousands of workers work there day and night. Indeed, this power plant will be seen as a clean energy model in the country that will provide affordable, reliable and high quality electricity in the long run. This will make Bangladesh more prosperous. Nuclear cooperation between Russia and Bangladesh brings benefits to Bangladesh.
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