Sri Lanka is considering selecting one of three locations – Trincomalee, Hambantota, or Mannar for the proposed Russian mini nuclear power plant and the Sri Lankan Government intends to consult India before signing an Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) with Russia.
Regarding the funding of the project, the Sri Lanka Atomic Energy Board (SLAEB) is of the view that the government ‘may’ go for fully Russian-funded nuclear plants or look for other options like a joint-venture.
Chairman of the SLAEB Prof S. R. D. Rosa, told Ceylon Today on Friday (3) that the Government has expressed its willingness to proceed with the two mini nuclear power plants project as a joint venture, and they intend to hold further discussions about the installation and the relevant factors.
Russia proposed a mini nuclear power plant for Sri Lanka several years ago, but due to the energy crisis the Government revived talks with Russia.
The SLAEB will consult India and select the model similar to the one Russia is installing in Bangladesh with India. India has joint in construction and installation works in the “non-critical” category for the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant in Bangladesh, Rosatom State Corporation of Russia said. Russia also built the Kundankulam Nuclear Power plant in South India that was commissioned in the year 2013.
The SLAEB Chairman said they will still earmark the nuclear project if it’s an onshore project to be installed either in Mannar, Trincomalee or Hambantota.
He added that whether the proposed nuke plants are offshore on barrages or offshore would be discussed before the agreement is signed and they expect to do it soon.
The Russian Ambassador to Sri Lanka said recently they had already held three rounds of video conferences on various topics such as ammonia and nuclear energy cyclotron with the Sri Lankan officials, for the proposed Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), with a maximum power capacity of 100 MW each. “The response should also include an invitation for a high-ranking Rosatom delegation to visit Sri Lanka for expert-level consultations, the Envoy said on Friday (3).
He emphasised as a first step towards installation of the nuke power plant, the Cabinet had approved the signing of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) recommended by the Vienna Convention on Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage and Convention on Supplementary Compensation for Nuclear Damage.
He added that once that is approved it would be directed to the Cabinet for the next step of getting the IGA approved through the Foreign Ministry and the Ministry of Energy with Russia.
The Chairman added that the IAEA has already approved the installation of nuclear power plant.
The proposed Russian for nuclear power plant was initiated a long time ago and the planned MoU with them in 2018 really did not take off well, the SLAEB Chairman said.
Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC), in its report said that given India’s lack of experience in developing projects outside of India and its long history of nuclear cooperation with Russia, Russia may expect to participate in joint projects with India in third world countries.
By Sulochana Ramiah Mohan