Bangladesh to set up its second nuclear power plant: PM Sheikh Hasina

The government of Bangladesh is planning to set up its second nuclear power plant in the southern region of the country. Opening the installation work of the reactor pressure vessel at the Rooppur nuclear power plant on Sunday, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said that another power plant will be set up after the completion of the existing one for which the government is looking for a suitable space. Rooppur is the first nuclear power plant of Bangladesh being built with financial and technological support from Russia. The 2400 megawatt Rooppur nuclear power plant is expected to become functional by 2024.
Prime Minister Hasina said that safety standards as mandated by the IAEA are being followed strictly at the nuclear power plant. She said a four tier security measure has been put in place along with the latest and modern technology for the safety of the nuclear power plant at Rooppur. Environmental pollution has also been taken care of at the power plant, said Sheikh Hasina. Expressing the hope that the electricity from the power plant will reach people by 2024, Prime Minister Hasina said that new distribution lines are also being installed from the nuclear power plant.
India is assisting Bangladesh through a concessional line of credit worth about USD 1 billion in the construction of transmission line and power evacuation facility from the Rooppur nuclear power plant. During Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Bangladesh in March this year, the foundation stone was laid for infrastructure development for power evacuation facilities from the Rooppur nuclear power plant.