UNB, Dhaka :Science and Technology Minister Architect Yafes Osman on Monday hoped that by 2021-2022 the first unit of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, country’s first nuclear power plant, will be commissioned and linked with the national grid.The Minister said this in the Parliament while responding to a written question of Awami League MP Pinu Khan (Women Seat- 23).He said that, after completion of the nuclear power plant it would be possible to provide uninterrupted power through cost effective way. Besides the energy security and supply of significant power will be ensured.”This will play a vital role to meet the power demand of the whole country, especially the northern areas of the country. It will put a long term effect on the overall economy of the country through creating employment in the project area, harnessing of various modern technologies and development of the manpower,” he said.He said that the Site Engineering Survey, feasibility evaluation and environmental impact assessment have been done in the meantime. Monitoring stations have been established in the project area to measure the earthquake, monitoring the weather and chemical analysis.”Work is going on for setting up necessary structures for the main job,” he said.The Minister hoped that after completing all necessary works including the design of the nuclear plant, it would be possible to start the main structure by 2016.Bangladesh plans to produce 1,000MW of electricity by 2021 and another 1,000MW by 2022 from the Rooppur plant. The plant’s tenure is 60 years with the option to extend it by another 20 years.In April 2013, the executive committee of the National Economic Council approved the establishment of the first phase of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant Project. The project site in Pakshi union, Pabna, sits on 105 hectares of land.
