Moscow: Rosatom, the leading entity in the Russian nuclear industry, has announced its capability to establish a nuclear unit in Burkina Faso within a five-year period, given that the host nation is adequately prepared. This statement was made during a visit by a Burkinabe delegation to the Leningrad nuclear power plant.
According to Burkina Information Agency, Rosatom highlighted that their previous experience in constructing a nuclear unit over eight years, from 2009 to 2017, has equipped them to design, build, and commission such a unit in a shorter timeframe of five years. The company emphasized that the pace of implementation is contingent upon the partner country’s readiness.
Valery Zhemchugov, Rosatom’s Acting Director General, elaborated on the prerequisites for a successful collaboration. He noted that the partner country must fulfill “high-tech requirements,” ensure the training of qualified personnel, and adopt the necessary legal frameworks. He stressed that five years is a standard duration for the construction of a nuclear power plant, contingent on effective collaboration.
Rosatom, which operates in 60 countries globally, expressed its willingness to extend its operations to Burkina Faso. Company officials indicated their readiness to proceed following the signing of appropriate agreements. They referenced a precedent in Iran, where a similar project was completed despite external pressures.
Shalamov Grigory Batiushenkov, a senior executive at Rosatom, reaffirmed the corporation’s commitment to fulfilling its obligations. Burkina Faso, through its President, Captain Ibrahim Traor©, has shown interest in leveraging Russian nuclear technology to enhance national energy production and bolster energy independence.
A substantial Burkinabe delegation, headed by the Minister of Energy, Mines and Quarries, Yacouba Zabr© Gouba, is currently engaged in Russia. The aim of their visit is to forge bilateral cooperation and negotiate an intergovernmental agreement concerning the peaceful use of nuclear energy.