No worries about N-plant: PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has inaugurated the first phase of the 2000MW nuclear power plant project in Pabna.

"I believe it fulfils the nation's dream," she said after laying the foundation stone of Bangladesh’s first nuclear power plant on Wednesday.

Her government calls it a “dream project”.

The long wait of Rooppur's citizens came to an end with the laying of the foundation stone for the project.

"It is also a milestone in the use of technology [in Bangladesh]," said the Prime Minister addressing the inaugural ceremony.

Sergey Kirienko, Director General, Russia's State Atomic Energy Corporation, Rosatom, was also present at the ceremony. The organisation has signed a deal to cooperate with Bangladesh in setting up the plant.

Hasina thanked the Russian government and President Vladimir Putin for full-scale assistance for the project.

The Prime Minister’s Energy Adviser Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury, Planning Minister AK Khandaker, Foreign Minister Dipu Moni, State Minister for Science and Technology Yeafesh Osman and State Minister for Home Shamsul Hoque Tuku were also present at the inaugural ceremony.

Sheikh Hasina reached Rooppur by a helicopter around 10:30am and joined the ceremony.

She took part in the prayers after laying the foundation stone.

The government aims at raising power production to 20,000 MW by 2021 and has set up a number of power plants to achieve the target.

"This plant will provide 10 percent of the country's total power," Hasina said.

Safety issues have been prioritised in the project.

"We have followed [safety] guidelines of the International Atomic Energy Association (IAEA) to ensure safety," she said.

“We have set up independent regulator for this purpose,” she added.

The Rooppur plant is going to be built with the third generation technology protected by five-layers of security.

Accidents at nuclear power plants are not uncommon. Japan is still reeling from a nuclear accident at its Fukushima plant two years ago.

Sheikh Hasina said, according to the agreement, the Russian Atomic Energy Corporation would cooperate in removing wastes. They will supply required energy for running the plant and take back the wastes.

“So there is no need to worry about that,” she said.

Sheikh Hasina said, “I believe Russia will implement the project at a low cost by maintaining international standard and ensuring safety.

At the start of her address the Prime Minister recalled Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the four national leaders and the martyrs of the 1971 liberation war.

Rooppur was chosen in 1963 from among 12 sites in the east by the then Pakistan government to set up a nuclear power plant.

Bangladesh has struck a deal with Russia's state-owned nuclear giant Rosatom to construct the nuclear plant in the country's northwest.

Russia will provide all assistance under the agreement for setting up the plant, including providing the fuel and taking back the used fuel.

Bangladesh signed a $500 million deal with Russia for technical research at the country's first nuclear power plant during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's Moscow visit earlier this year.

A total of 262 acres of land have been acquired to set up two units with a capacity of 2,000MW.

Each of these units is expected to cost $1.5 to $2 billion.

Bangladesh bear 10 percent of the cost while Russia provides the rest as loan.

The plant will be in operation for 60 years but that can be extended by another 20 years, according to the State Minister for Science and Technology Yeafesh Osman.

A $265 million tender for the plant's design was approved by the Cabinet Committee and a Russian firm won the bid.

Construction of the core structure will start after finalising the design.