Dhaka – The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) on Tuesday approved the largest-ever project in its history titled ‘Establishment of Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (main phase)’ to construct two units with a capacity of 2400 MW at an estimated cost of Tk 113,092.91 crore.
The approval came at the 13th Ecnec meeting of the current fiscal year held at the NEC conference room in the city’s Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.Briefing reporters after the meeting, Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal said a total of 12 projects were approved with an estimated cost of Tk 152,712.41 crore. “Of the total project cost, Tk 35,068.73 crore will come from the state exchequer while Tk 1,627.37 crore from the own funds of the organisations concerned and the rest Tk 116,016.31 crore as project assistance,” he said.
Of the approved 12 projects, nine are new while three are revised ones.
Mustafa Kamal also revealed that the ADP implementation rate during the July-November period of the current fiscal year was 19.13 percent with an overall expenditure of Tk 23,594 crore. The ADP implementation rate was only 17 percent during the July-November period of the last fiscal year when the expenditure was Tk 17,011 crore. “We hope we’ll be able to implement the Tk 123,000 crore ADP in the current fiscal year.”
He was also very optimistic about achieving 7.2 to 7.5 percent GDP growth in the current fiscal year.
The Planning Minister said the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant project is the biggest project in the history of Bangladesh and it will lift Bangladesh to a new height.
He said currently there are some 67 nuclear power plants in 31 countries and the number will stand at 168 by 2030.
Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission under the Ministry of Science and Technology will implement the main phase of the mega project by December 2025. Of the total project cost, Tk 22,052.91 crore will come from the state exchequer while the rest Tk 91,040 crore as project assistance from the Russian Federation.
The main work under the project is to install two units of nuclear power plants each having capacity of 1200 MW as well as formulating detailed design, training, procurement of necessary equipment and LTME, procuring nuclear energy, commissioning and testing, and appointment of necessary manpower in various phases of project management unit.
The 1st reactor will become operational in 2022 while the 2nd one the following year. The lifespan of the reactors is 60 years, with an option to extend it by 20 years. The power generated in the plant will cost Tk 3.5 a unit.
The Ecnec meeting also approved the Establishment of Jamuna Railway Bridge Construction project with an estimated cost of Tk 9,734.07 crore. Bangladesh Railway will implement the project by December 2023 with Tk 7,724.32 crore project assistance from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
Under the project, a 4.8 kilometre dedicated dual gauge steel rail bridge will be constructed about some 300 metre upstream of the existing Bangabandhu Bridge.
The meeting also gave nod to the huge power distribution system extension and strengthening in DPDC controlled areas with Tk 20,501.52 crore to ensure uninterrupted and standard power supply in the DPDC areas.
Chinese EXIM Bank will provide Tk 13,844.29 crore on G-to-G basis for this project which will be implemented by DPDC by December 2021. – UNB
