Page 9 - AsiaElec Week 07 2023
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AsiaElec NUCLEAR AsiaElec
Myanmar-Russia deal marks
Yangon’s long-term ambitions
Nuclear announcement omits mention of ongoing domestic unrest
MYANMAR A Myanmar-Russia intergovernmental agreement Myanmar’s first.
on co-operation in the employment of nuclear Also speaking after the signing, Alexey
power by the Southeast Asian nation has high- Likhachov, the director-general of Russia’s
lighted Yangon’s long-term nuclear ambitions to nuclear power company Rosatom, said that the
help power the impoverished state of 54mn. deal registered “a new chapter in the history of
It is a move being watched carefully by Myan- Russian-Myanmar relations, the 75th anniver-
mar’s regional neighbours. sary of which we are celebrating this year.”
The agreement was signed at a ceremony He went on to say that “the creation of a new
marking the official opening Myanmar’s Nuclear industry in the country will undoubtedly benefit
Technology Information Centre in the national the energy sector, industry and the economy of Nuclear energy
capital Yangon last week. Myanmar.”
Prime Minister of Myanmar, and the serving No mention was made of the continued civil offers a steady,
Chairman of the State Administration Council, unrest across Myanmar or the international con-
Senior General Min Aung Hlaing said after the demnation of the military junta which came to reliable supply
signing that “this agreement is co-operation power on the back of a February 2021 coup d’etat.
not only for small nuclear power plants but also Likhachov merely added that “nuclear energy of clean
the application of nuclear technology in many offers a steady reliable supply of clean energy at energy at a
sectors and it will enhance the socio-economic a stable price. The introduction of nuclear tech-
development of the country.” nologies implies a powerful impetus for the stable price.
It is understood Moscow and Yangon will development of natural sciences, education and
work initially on training a limited number of training of highly qualified personnel. We appre-
local engineers towards the construction and ciate the fact that Myanmar has a given prefer-
maintenance of a small-scale modular reactor; ence to Russian nuclear technology.”
Week 07 15 •February•2023 www. NEWSBASE .com P9
