Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday said Russia has promised to take back the spent fuel of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP) to their country.
“We have signed an agreement with the Russian Federation for the management of spent fuel. Russia will take these spent fuel back to their country,” she said.
The premier said this while joining virtually along with Russian President Vladimir Putin the Graduation Ceremony of Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP) when the uranium fuel for the plant was handed over to Bangladesh authorities.
The function was held at the plant’s site in Ishwardi, Pabna.
PM Hasina joined from her official residence Ganabhaban in Dhaka, while President Putin joined from Kremlin, Moscow.
Hasina said that the design and construction of this nuclear power plant is being carried out keeping in mind that it does not get damaged during any kind of disaster.
The prime minister described the occasion as a day of great pride and joy for the people of Bangladesh.
“Rooppur nuclear power plant is getting successful today through the adoption of nuclear fuel by the relentless efforts of Awami League government,” she said.
She said that her government has enacted the “Bangladesh Atomic Energy Regulatory Act” and established an independent Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority.
"This authority has ensured safety at every level of the nuclear power plant by maintaining close liaison with the IAEA," she added.
Referring to the target of generating power from the first unit by 2024 and from the second unit by 2026 from the RNPP, Sheikh Hasina said “We’re moving towards that goal. Soon 1200 MW electricity from the first unit will be connected to the national grid.”
She said that the government has formed a company named “Nuclear Power Plant Company Bangladesh Limited” through a separate legislation to manage this power plant.
The premier said that Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman initiated the construction of Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant project, and prominent nuclear scientist Dr MA Wazed Miah was given the responsibility of director of the proposed Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant.
The PM said that Awami Legaue after forming government in 1996 approved formulation of “Vision Statement and Policy Statement on Power Sector Reforms” with the aim of providing “Electricity for All” by 2020.
Read: First batch of uranium for RNPP reaches Rooppur amid tight security
“In 1996, we included nuclear power generation in energy policy, and we started the implementation of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant Construction Project,” she stated.
Sheikh Hasina said that the then government had formulated “Bangladesh Nuclear Power Action Plan-2000” and sought cooperation of the International Atomic Energy Agency.
“We also adopted a concrete plan of action with the sincere support of the IAEA as the subject was completely new to us. Our government’s 1996-2001 term expired before making complex legislation,” the PM said.
She said coming to power again in 2009 after winning the 2008 election, Hasina said her government formulated “Power Sector Master Plan-2010” in line with “Vision-2021”.
“Again we took the initiative to implement the Rooppur project,” she said.
In this connection, she said that friendly country Russia came forward to implement it.
"Moreover, IAEA has been helping Bangladesh in many ways since the beginning," she said.
For this, she expressed her sincere thanks and gratitude to the Government of the Russian Federation, IAEA, and all concerned.
Read: First batch of uranium for RNPP heads to Rooppur amid tight security
The prime minister also personally extended her thanks and gratitude to the President Putin for making it possible.
She also recalled her meeting with Putin in January 2013 in Moscow, and the contract signing ceremony for the construction of Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant as well as special hospitality of the Russian president.
Referring to the inauguration of the project by her on October 2, 2013, Hasina said “So far this power plant has reached the brink of success with the latest technology with your (Vladimir Putin) full cooperation.”
The Bangladesh PM also extended her gratitude to India and its Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the neighbouring country has been cooperating with Bangladesh from the beginning of the project.
She also expressed her firm commitment to the complete elimination of nuclear weapons worldwide and to the implementation of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.
Earlier First Deputy Director General for Nuclear Energy of the ROSATOM and President of ASE JSC Andrei Petrov handed over the certificate to the PM at Ganabhaban.
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On the other hand, Rosatom DG Likhachev handed over a model of the fuel assembly to Minister Yeafesh Osman at the plant site.
Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Mariano Grossi also spoke joining virtually from Vienna.
With Yeafesh Osman in the chair, ROSATOM Director General Alexy Likhachev also spoke.
At the outset, an audio-video documentary on the manufacturing and delivery of the first batch of nuclear fuel for RNPP was screened, while RNPP Project Director and Managing Director of NPCBL Dr Md Shawkat Akbar made a presentation on the RNPP.
Science and Technology Secretary Md Ali Hossain delivered the welcome address.