- Sputnik International, 1920
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Hit by Energy Crisis, Bangladesh Installs Second Reactor at Russia-Funded Nuclear Power Plant

© AP Photo / Mahmud Hossain OpuPeople walk through a dark street after a failure in Bangladesh's national power grid plunged much of the country into a blackout in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Tuesday, Oct.4, 2022.
People walk through a dark street after a failure in Bangladesh's national power grid plunged much of the country into a blackout in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Tuesday, Oct.4, 2022. - Sputnik International, 1920, 19.10.2022
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Bangladesh struck a deal with Russia in 2015 to develop a nuclear power plant in Rooppur with a target power supply of 2,400 MW. The country experienced a severe power crisis this summer due to gas shortages.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday inaugurated the installation of a reactor pressure vessel at the second unit of the $12.6 billion Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, raising hopes of meeting the growing electricity demand in the country of 165 million people.
"This will help us to ensure a better life for the countrymen. I again thank Russia for helping us build this power plant," Hasina said while inaugurating the installation.
The PM brushed aside concerns raised by some over safety standards, saying the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission had paid heed to the overall safety and security of the construction of the power plant.
The first unit of the plant will commence supplying 1,200 MW power from 2023, while the same amount of electricity will be available from the second unit in 2024.
Vendors light candles at a market after a failure in Bangladesh's national power grid plunged much of the country into a blackout in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Tuesday, Oct.4, 2022. - Sputnik International, 1920, 04.10.2022
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40 Million in Bangladesh Left Without Electricity After Grid Failure
The prime minister also urged people to maintain austerity to fight the ongoing global crisis, which has had a strong impact on Bangladesh's economy. The PM blamed the Ukraine crisis and subsequent sanctions against Russia for compounding the country's problems.

"Because the world is now a global village, one is dependent on another. When the world is suffering from economic recession, that blow also [hits] us," Hasina said.

The country's recent economic growth is being threatened by a power crisis following the government's decision to shut down diesel power plants to save crucial foreign exchange reserves.
On October 4, a large part of the country faced an eight-hour blackout due to a national grid failure.
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