Bangladesh is eyeing to install its first nuclear power plant by 2015 to meet the country's mounting electricity demand, as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has responded positively to its installation plan.
"The IAEA's response received recently was found to be very positive towards installation of a nuclear power plant," Energy and Power Adviser Tapan Chowdhury was quoted by local newspaper The Finance Express as saying on Tuesday.
Bangladesh is planning to set up the country's first nuclear power plant having a generation capacity between 700 MW and 1,000 MW at Rooppur in the northwestern Pabna district, 125 km northwest of capital Dhaka.
Tapan Chowdhury said the IAEA, the global nuclear watchdog, also asked Bangladesh to send a delegation to expedite the processof installing a nuclear power plant with its assistance.
Bangladesh submitted the work plan to the IAEA last October, giving details on how the country planned to install the nuclear power plant at Rooppur and maintain safeguards with proper management of wastes.
The IAEA was pleased with the government commitment for setting up the nuclear power plant, selection of the project site and assurance of utilizing the plant for peaceful purposes, a senior Power Division official said.
A five-member delegation comprising nuclear experts from the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC) is expected to visit Vienna by mid-January 2008 to discuss the subject.
The total investment required in setting up a nuclear plant is anywhere between 1.0 billion and 1.5 billion U.S. dollars, sources from the BAEC said.
Source: Xinhua
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