(UrduPoint News / Sputnik) The prospective plans for Russia to develop a nuclear power plant for Sri Lanka are not part of the agenda of this year’s St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), Sri Lankan State Minister of Money and Capital Market and State Enterprise Reforms Ajith Nivard Cabraal told Sputnik.
“The NPP is part of our bilateral agenda but won’t be discussed here. It is a great opportunity for our partnership, which will provide a cheap source of power since Sri Lanka is searching for those. I wouldn’t say it is something that is going to happen in the near future,” Cabraal said.
Russian Ambassador to Sri Lanka Yury Materiy stated last year that Moscow could build a nuclear power plant in Sri Lanka someday, considering the growing demand for energy in the country, adding that such a project could happen as a result of cooperation between Russian nuclear corporation Rosatom and the relevant Sri Lankan bodies.
The project is likely to be discussed by Sri Lankan and Russian officials during the next session of the bilateral intergovernmental commission on trade and economic cooperation, scheduled to take place in the latter half of 2021, according to Meegahalande Durage Lamawansa, the Sri Lankan Ambassador to Russia.
SPIEF-2021 is taking place from Wednesday through Saturday in person at the Expoforum Exhibition and Convention Center in St. Petersburg.