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conditions of financing and participation improved in cooperation with partners”. 99 In April 2014,the Prime Minster said that the project might proceed but that it was dependent on the answersto 80 questions submitted to Hitachi, which included questions on the costs of the project, theprice of electricity and the capabilities of synchronizing with the Western electricity grid. TheEnergy Minister, Jaroslav Neverovich, said there is a good chance the projects will proceed. 100 InJuly 2014 the Lithuania Energy Ministry and Hitachi signed an agreement to set up a joint venturefor the construction of the Visaginas nuclear power plant. However, as of June 2015, furtheragreements with other partners, namely Estonia and Latvia, had yet to be signed. 101In November 2011, the Bangladesh Government’s press information department said thatit would sign a deal with the Russian Government for two 1000 MW units to be built by 2018 at acost of US$2 billion. 102 Since then, while it is said negotiations have been ongoing, the start‐update was postponed, and the price has risen. In January 2013, Deputy Finance Minister of RussiaSergey Storchak and Economic Relations Division (ERD) Secretary of Bangladesh Abul KalamAzad signed the agreement on the Extension of State Export Credit for financing the preparatorystage work for the nuclear power plant at Rooppur (or Ruppur). 103 The deal was only forUS$500 million 104 and will only cover the site preparatory work. 105 In October 2013, a ceremonywas held for the formal start of the preparatory stage, 106 with formal construction then expectedto begin in 2015. At the time of the ceremony, the cost of construction was revised upwards and itwas suggested that each unit would cost US$1.5–2 billion. 107 These cost estimates tripled in April2014, when a senior official at the Ministry of Science and Technology was quoted as suggestingthe price was more likely to be US$6 billion. 108 In Russia, it is expected that the total cost of theproject is more likely to be around US$10 billion 109 , the cost of similar deals in Belarus andHungary. However, falls in the value of the Ruble are likely to affect the overall cost of the project.It is expected that Bangladesh will be responsible for 10 percent of the project with the rest of thefinancing in the form of a loan from Russia. In June 2014, the Cabinet Committee on Government99 Ministry of Energy of Lithuania, “Lithuanian Parliamentary Parties Reached an Agreement Regarding theKey Strategic Energy Projects”, 31 March 2014.100 Baltic Course, “Lithuania waiting for Hitachi’s answers to nearly 80 questions concerning NPP”, 2 April 2014.101 The Lithuanian Tribune, “Lithuanian energy minister expects new N‐plant talks to speed up after Estoniaforms new government”, 12 March 2015, seehttp://en.delfi.lt/nordic‐baltic/lithuanian‐energy‐minister‐expects‐new‐n‐plant‐talks‐to‐speed‐up‐afterestonia‐forms‐new‐government.d?id=67412324#ixzz3VIs6GcfQ,accessed 24 March 2015.102 Bloomberg, “Bangladesh to Sign Deal With Russia to Build Nuclear Power Plant”, 2 November 2011.103 Energy Bangla, “Bangladesh, Russia sign nuclear power pact”, 17 January 2013.104 All dollar (equivalent) amounts are expressed in U.S. dollars unless indicated otherwise. However, theyear’s dollars are not always clear in the original references.105 The Star, “Russia to lend $1.5B to Bangladesh to build nuclear power station, buy arms”, 15 January 2013.106 BBC, “Bangladesh nuclear power plant work begins”, 2 October 2013.107 Bangladesh Awami League, “PM Sheikh Hasina inaugurates Rooppur Power Plant”, seehttp://www.albd.org/index.php/en/updates/news/281‐pm‐sheikh‐hasina‐inaugurates‐rooppur‐power‐plant,accessed 25 March 2015.108 The Independent (of Bangladesh), “Roopur N‐plant cost to double”, 7 April 2014, seehttp://www.theindependentbd.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=210774:roopur‐nplant‐cost‐to‐double&catid=129:frontpage&Itemid=121,accessed 25 March 2015.109 Moscow Times, “Rosatom to Build Bangladesh's First Nuclear Power Plant”, 3 October 2013.Mycle Schneider, Antony Froggatt et al. World Nuclear Industry Status Report 2015 49