China's state-owned company -- Dongfang Electric Corporation (DEC) -- wants to build the proposed second nuclear power plant in Bangladesh.
A top official of the corporation said recently that the Chinese company had shown interest to build the second nuclear power plant which the government of Bangladesh is planning to set up.
"Bangladesh is our traditional market. We have constant communication with our Bangladeshi counterpart. But there is no promising result until now about the nuclear power plant," Vice President of Dongfang Electric Corporation (DEC) Hu Weidong told the FE while responding to a question at its head office in Chengdu, the capital city of Sichuan.
In November 2017, Bangladesh started the construction work of its first nuclear power plant at Rooppur of Pabna district.
Russia's state-owned nuclear corporation Rosatom is implementing the project at a cost of $ 12.65 billion.
According to Rosatom, the first unit at Rooppur is scheduled to go into commercial operation in 2023 while the second unit in 2024.
However, Bangladesh has already made a list of eight sites for building the second nuclear power plant. Of the eight sites, four are in Khulna, close to the Sundarbans, and four others are at Majher Char in Barguna, Gangamati in Patuakhali, Boyar Char in Noakhali and Muhurir Char in Feni.
While talking to the FE, Mr Weidong said, "Nuclear power is clean and safe. It is future reply to increasing demand for power."
In reply to a question about mounting concerns over safety and security of nuclear power, he said DEC is capable of building and running safe and secured nuclear power plant.
He said DEC provides nuclear power plant machinery to France, the UK and Pakistan. It also runs nuclear power plants in China.
He said every country has its own way of choosing business deal.
"Certainly Bangladesh has its preferences. We are trying our best," he added.
According to Bangladesh officials, once the site for second nuclear power plant is finalised and an elaborate feasibility study will be conducted, and the power generation capacity of the nuclear plant will be fixed.
The state-owned Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC) is working on the project.
BAEC started the project following a directive by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in 2014 to set up a second nuclear power plant in the south.
DEC, headquartered in Chengdu, is one of the most influential enterprise groups under the direct administration of the Chinese central government.
With the development over half a century, DEC has become a comprehensive group specialised in manufacturing industry, research and development of cutting edge technology, contracting international engineering projects, exporting complete plants and equipment, and conducting international economic and technical cooperation.
DEC represents top-class technological and manufacturing level for China's heavy machinery and equipment industry, and is appointed by the Chinese central government as one of the most important state-owned enterprise groups concerning the national economy.
Being an active international contractor, DEC takes the lead in China particularly in contracting international power stations and a wide variety of large engineering projects, and exports complete plants and equipment to almost 70 countries involving projects in such diverse fields as power generation, electric and mechanical works, power distribution and transmission, railways, environmental protection, heavy duty mining and metallurgy equipment, traffic and transportation, communication etc.
It has also power projects in Bangladesh.
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