Russia’s TVEL Proposes to Provide Nuclear Fuel for “Entire Lifetime” of New Bangladesh NPP
On July 17, 2019, sources from Bangladesh’s Ministry of Science and Technology indicated they are vetting a proposal from Russia’s state-owned nuclear fuel provider, TVEL, to supply the new Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) for its “entire lifetime,” which is estimated at 50 years. The Roopur NPP is, itself, being constructed by TVEL’s parent company, Rosatom, per a 2011 agreement between the governments of Russia and Bangladesh. The Russian government has reportedly provided $11.38 billion in export credits to fund the NPP’s construction, covering roughly 90% of the project’s financing needs. Each reloading of fuel is expected to cost the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission $62 million at a set price of $500 per kilogram of uranium.