During a visit to Russia this week, Myanmar junta leader Min Aung Hlaing oversaw the signing of a nuclear energy development deal, even though Myanmar at this stage does not have any nuclear energy.

Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) between Rosatom and Myanmar's Ministry of Science and Technology cover cooperation in training and skills development in the field of nuclear energy and shaping positive public opinion on nuclear energy in Myanmar, World Nuclear News (WNN) reports.

The MoUs were signed at a meeting between the state-owned Russian firm's Director General, Alexey Likhachov, and the Chairman of the Myanmar State Administration Council, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing. The MoUs were signed on the Myanmar side by the Minister of Science and Technology Myo Thein Kyaw.

The Myanmar government said the parties had talked 'about cooperation in the sectors beneficial to peoples of both countries in atomic energy technological cooperation arena, conducting the science and research, manufacturing of pharmaceuticals, agriculture, livestock, industry and foodstuff sectors through the peaceful use of nuclear energy'.

Myanmar relies largely on fossil fuel and hydro-power. In 2019, Myanmar produced 24.3 TWh of energy with 13.7 TWh from fossil fuels and 10.5 TWh from hydro and the two countries have already cooperated in the field of nuclear power. In June 2015, Russia and Myanmar signed a preliminary agreement to cooperate in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, WNN reports.

That followed on from a May 2007 agreement to construct a nuclear research centre in Myanmar that would comprise a 10 MWt light water reactor working on 20%-enriched U-235, an activation analysis laboratory, a medical isotope production laboratory, silicon doping system, nuclear waste treatment and burial facilities.

As WNN notes, although Myanmar was a founding member of the International Atomic Energy Agency, it does not have any nuclear energy at the moment. It signed a country programme framework with the IAEA in 2016 and also joined the Convention on Nuclear Safety in the same year.

It has been a signatory of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) since 1992.