N POWER PROJECT : Dhaka, Moscow to initial general contract today

Dhaka and Moscow are scheduled for today to initial the general contract for construction, commission and operation of the proposed Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant in Pabna.
Science and technology minister Yeafesh Osman said that the general contract would be initialled at a programme at prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s official residence Ganabhaban in presence of Hasina and Russian state atomic corporation Rosatom’s chief executive officer Sergey Kirienko.
The general contract would fix the entire project cost including the cost of transportation of nuclear reactor and other components and the cost of fuel and operation of the power plant for a certain period, officials said.
Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission wants to limit the costs within $11.5 billion for its first nuclear power project to get 2,400MW electricity by 2021 while Russian contractor wants $13.5 billion for the job, a commission official told New Age on Sunday.
The commission also wants to incorporate into the general contract that the Russian contractor would be responsible for the operation, maintenance and fuel cost of the power plant for seven years after its commissioning.
The general contract would also include the rate of interest of the Russian credit. Russia would provide 90 per cent of the cost, he said, adding that Bangladesh would need to pay back in 28 years with a 10-year grace period.
Sergey Kirienko, also former Russian prime minister, is scheduled for today for his one-day visit to Dhaka and he will call on Hasina at Ganabhaban, the official said.
Both the sides are scheduled for May 2016 to sign the general agreement.
After a meeting with a Russian delegation on October 27, finance minister AMA Muhith told reporters that the proposed Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant would cost about $13.5 billion. Russian ambassador to Dhaka Alexander Nikolaev and Rosatom deputy chief executive officer Nikolay Spassky were present at the meeting.
Rosatom appointed Russian state-run contractor Atomostroyexport and its subsidiaries are developing the project site aiming at beginning installation of the first nuclear reactor in 2017.
An inter-governmental agreement for provision of a $500 million Russian loan to finance engineering design, site development and personnel training was signed in January 2013.
The loan will be repaid in 12 years with a five-year grace period. The International Atomic Energy Agency is closely involved in the project.
On November 3, 2011, Bangladesh and Russia signed an agreement for the installation of nuclear power plant at Rooppur in Pabna.
Of the two-unit power plant with 1,200MW capacity each, the first unit is expected to start operation by 2021 and the second unit by 2022.

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