Dhaka: Planning Adviser Dr Wahiduddin Mahmud on Sunday stated that the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP) has experienced delays primarily due to the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent implementation challenges, but its overall cost has not increased in dollar terms.
According to United News of Bangladesh, the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) approved the cost hike proposal during a meeting at the NEC Conference Room in the Planning Commission. The meeting was chaired by Chief Adviser and ECNEC Chairperson Professor Dr Muhammad Yunus. The project cost has increased by Tk 25,592.85 crore, as per the new proposal.
Addressing concerns regarding rising project costs, the Planning Adviser explained that the apparent increase is largely due to exchange rate fluctuations, as most project components are imported from Russia. Bangladesh has already made repayments in dollars over time, and the taka value was calculated based on the exchange rates prevailing at the time of those payments.
Dr Wahiduddin highlighted that Rooppur, with an estimated cost of around US$10-11 billion (approximately Tk 1.13 lakh crore), was initially scheduled for completion by December 2025. However, the project authorities have informed the government that an additional one and a half years will be needed to complete the work. Furthermore, an extension of about two years has been requested for loan repayment due to procedural and financial complexities involved in repaying the Russian loan.
Dr Mahmud also mentioned that savings have been realized in the locally financed portion of the project. Following revisions and corrections, the overall cost has slightly decreased. Referring to previous controversies, he recalled allegations related to irregularities, popularly known as the ‘pillow scandal,’ in the Bangladesh-funded part of the project. The project directors later clarified that the procurement in question was executed under a subcontract by the Public Works Department (PWD), which was responsible for that particular segment.