Myanmar and Russia Sign Nuclear Power Plant Deal
Russia has signed another agreement with Myanmar’s regime to build a small nuclear power plant as the junta continues to struggle to end blackouts.
On Wednesday at Russian Energy Week, Russia’s state-run nuclear corporation Rosatom and the junta’s Ministry of Science and Technology signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on priority areas for nuclear construction.
The agreement was signed by Alexey Likhachev, director general of Rosatom, and the junta’s science and technology minister, Dr Myo Thein Kyaw.
Three junta energy, electricity, science and technology ministers are in Russia, seeking Moscow’s help to address Myanmar’s fuel and electricity crisis.
Nuclear cooperation started with junta boss Min Aung Hlaing’s visit to Russia in July last year when Likhachev and Myo Thein Kyaw signed an initial agreement.
Two months later the junta and Rosatom signed a roadmap on a possible modular reactor project. Myanmar opened its first nuclear technology center in Yangon in February with Russian backing.
At the opening, Min Aung Hlaing and Likhachev discussed the use of nuclear technology in health, agriculture and manufacturing.
Myanmar’s nuclear technology graduates from Russian universities and Rosatom officials met in Yangon in August. Russia’s National Research Nuclear University also signed an MoU with Yangon Technological University, Yangon University of Information Technology and Kyaukse Technological University last week.
Human rights groups have said Myanmar’s regime cannot be trusted with nuclear technology.
Source: https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/myanmars-crisis-the-world/myanmar-and-russia-sign-nuclear-power-plant-deal.html
