Rosatom could supply fuel to NPPs in Bangladesh this year

MOSCOW. July 31 (Interfax) - Bangladesh is preparing for supplies of fresh nuclear fuel to its nuclear power plants this year, Russia's Atomenergomash, the engineering division of Rosatom state nuclear energy corporation, said in a statement.

"During a meeting, the parties discussed current matters regarding the construction of the Rooppur NPP, as well as the site's readiness for the year's most important production event, which is supplying fresh nuclear fuel for the first power unit of the Rooppur NPP that is under construction," according to the statement following the visit of Rosatom CEO Alexei Likhachev to the country, during which he met with Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Energy-deficient Bangladesh currently has no nuclear power output. Rosatom in December 2015 signed the contract to construct Rooppur NPP, Bangladesh's first NPP, including two power units with 1200-MW VVER reactors. The NPP is under construction on the Ganges coast, 160 km from the capital Dhaka, as per the Russian project.