Russia looks to expand nuclear plant projects abroad

By Najam Abbas

LONDON (AA) - Russia is expanding its nuclear power plant projects abroad, according to Russian news agency TASS on Wednesday.

The country is eyeing new projects in Bulgaria, Saudi Arabia and Bolivia.

Russian state-run nuclear energy company RosAtom -- established in 2007 -- on its website said it is engaged in 44 projects worldwide, which will amount to $133 billion.

TASS said both Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Bolivian counterpart Evo Morales confirmed they are interested in boosting defense cooperation.

Russia and Bolivia signed a military technical cooperation deal in February 2009 and their defense ministries inked a defense cooperation deal in September 2016.

Russia's investments in the 200 kilowatt hour project in this South American country is expected to amount to at least $300 million.

Nuclear Research and Technology Center's first facilities in Bolivia is scheduled to become operational in 2019, according to Russian nuclear energy firm RosAtom.

Separately, in 2008's Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit held on June 9-10 in the Chinese city of Qingdao, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Putin discussed the construction of an atomic energy station in Navoi region of Uzbekistan located in country's east, Ekonomika Sevodniya agency said on Saturday.

RosAtom will build this power plant in Novoi region.

Russia has also signed contracts with China over the construction of two more reactor units at the Tianwan Nuclear Power Plant in China's Jiangsu province and the extension of two reactors at the Xuidapu nuclear power plant in Liaoning Province, China, Russia's Federal News Agency FAN reported Friday.

Also, Russia is scheduled to build two 1,200 megawatts of electrical units in Rooppur, Bangladesh, which is on the eastern bank of the river Ganges.

The first unit will be commissioned in 2023 and the second one will be put into service in 2024.

RosAtom will also build four power reactors in El Dabaa in Egypt's Matrouh region on the Mediterranean coast.

The Russian company will also build Turkey's Akkuyu NPP (Nuclear Power Plant) that has four units, with a total capacity of 4,800 megawatts, in Mersin province.