Dhaka - Russia on Wednesday offered to help Bangladesh set up hydroelectric units using river currents to ease the country's severe power crisis, an official said.

"By constructing low-height dams on rivers, it is possible to establish a number of small power plants with 10- to 20-megawatt generation in Bangladesh," Russian Ambassador Gennady P Trotsenko said after meeting with Bangladesh officials.

The envoy said a Russian delegation would visit Dhaka next month for a feasibility study of a pilot project using river currents.

Presidential energy advisor Toufiq-e-Elahi said the government was determined to ensure diversification of energy resources to overcome energy shortages.

Impoverished Bangladesh has been reeling under an energy crisis as nearly 30 percent of the total population is using the national power grid with maximum generation capacity of only 4,000 megawatts.

The two sides are also expected to ink a deal for peaceful use of nuclear energy to allow future construction of two 1,000-megawatt nuclear power plants in Bangladesh, officials said. (dpa)