Bangladesh has decided to set up a 600-1000 MW nuclear power plant by 2015 and will submit a plan to International Atomic Energy Agency for its technical assistance for construction of plant by next month.
"Our aim is to bring the nuclear power plant into production by 2015," Chief of country's Atomic Energy Commission Shafiqul Islam Bhuiyan was quoted as saying by the New Age newspaper on Monday.
Bhuiyan, who returned on Sunday from Vienna after participating in the five-day IAEA conference, said the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission was set to submit the plan to IAEA for its technical assistance for the proposed plant by next month.
The total investment for setting up a power plant would be around $1-1.5 billion, he said.
Energy Adviser of the interim cabinet Tapan Chowdhury, who led the country's delegation to Vienna, held talks with China, India and Pakistan for setting up nuclear power plant and also got positive responses, the report said.
Chowdhury, seeking technical assistance from the nuclear watch dog, also held meetings with IAEA officials including its Director General Mohamed ElBaradei.
The IAEA, assuring its assistance in setting up a nuclear power plant for generating electricity, has given Dhaka a "green signal" to explore places for establishment of the proposed nuclear power plant in northwestern Pabna two months ago, the report said.
An IAEA delegation was also expected to visit the country between December and January.
The severe power crisis has led to long hours of loadshedding affecting both, the industries as well as public.
There is demand of 5,000 MW during peak hours against the production of 3,600 megawatts.