Infrastructure major, Hindustan Construction Company Ltd. (HCC), in a joint venture with Bangladesh construction firm MAX Group has been awarded a $110 million (₹737 crore) contract by Russia’s State Nuclear Company, JSC Atomstroyexport, for civil works of turbine island for Unit 1 of Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant.
The Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, about 190 km northwest of Dhaka, would be built with Russian technology and equipped with two VVER Reactors of 1,200 MW each. These reactors would be similar to the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant in Tamil Nadu. HCC holds 40% stake in the JV, worth about $44 million.
“HCC has become the first Indian company to participate in the international civil nuclear market,” said Arjun Dhawan, director and group CEO, HCC commenting on the order win. “We are confident of delivering this job on time with precision in quality, safety and state-of-the-art technology. We look forward to further project awards in Rooppur NPP and expanding our infrastructure footprint in Bangladesh.”
Pact with Bangladesh
Recently, India signed an agreement with Bangladesh for civil nuclear cooperation, under which India had extended expertise and project support for Dhaka’s first nuclear power plant. India, not being a member of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), cannot participate directly in the construction of atomic power reactors.
But Indian companies can be involved in construction and installation works and in the supply of equipment of non-critical category.
“HCC is the only Indian company which has successfully constructed the nuclear power project with Russian VVER type light water nuclear reactors,” said the company in a statement. HCC has constructed 65% of the country’s installed nuclear power capacity. [As many as] 15 out of 24 nuclear reactors in India are built by HCC. India’s largest light water reactors built at Kudankulam nuclear power plant was built by HCC in 2010,” added the company. HCC said it was currently engaged in the construction of the first phase of Integrated Nuclear Recycle Plant of BARC in Tarapur, fast reactor fuel cycle facility (FRFCF) in Kalpakkam and Units 7 & 8 (2×700 MW) PWHR at Rawatbhata, near Kota, Rajasthan.
