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Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant at a glance
- Fresh batch of uranium to reach Thursday
- Bangladesh now 33rd nuclear power country
An aerial view of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant is pictured on Wednesday, October 4, 2023. Photo: Mahmud Hossain Opu/Dhaka Tribune
Mahfuz Sadi
Publish : 05 Oct 2023, 09:00 AMUpdate : 05 Oct 2023, 12:33 PM
The Awami League, in its 2008 electoral manifesto, committed to establishing the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant in Ishwardi, Pabna.
Honouring this commitment after taking office, the party fulfilled its promise, marking Bangladesh's first step in nuclear power generation.
The first unit of the power plant will officially receive a fresh batch of uranium from the Russian contractor, Rosatom, at a formal Graduation Ceremony on Thursday.
Both Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Russian President Vladimir Putin will virtually attend the handover ceremony.
Interestingly, the country’s first nuclear power plant construction was first initiated in 1961 by the then-Pakistan government. However, the project faced various challenges and difficulties over the years and could not be completed.
This image shows a general view of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant on Wednesday, October 4, 2023. Photo: MahmudMahfuz Sadi
Publish : 05 Oct 2023, 09:00 AMUpdate : 05 Oct 2023, 12:33 PM
The Awami League, in its 2008 electoral manifesto, committed to establishing the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant in Ishwardi, Pabna.
Honouring this commitment after taking office, the party fulfilled its promise, marking Bangladesh's first step in nuclear power generation.
The first unit of the power plant will officially receive a fresh batch of uranium from the Russian contractor, Rosatom, at a formal Graduation Ceremony on Thursday.
Both Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Russian President Vladimir Putin will virtually attend the handover ceremony.
Interestingly, the country’s first nuclear power plant construction was first initiated in 1961 by the then-Pakistan government. However, the project faced various challenges and difficulties over the years and could not be completed.
After enduring 62 years of ups and downs and witnessing significant historical changes, the project is finally nearing completion.
Through this historic commissioning on Thursday, Bangladesh is going to step into the era of uranium fuel, marking a new chapter in its history.
Origins of the power plant: Before Liberation War
In 1961, during the then-Pakistan government's tenure, the initial initiative to build a nuclear power plant was taken.
Between 1962 and 1968, the Rooppur area in Ishwardi, Pabna, near the Padma River in former East Pakistan, was chosen as the site for the country's first nuclear power plant.
Several reviews were conducted at the time to verify the feasibility of the project.
For the nuclear power plant project, 260 acres of land were acquired, and an additional 32 acres were taken for residential purposes.
Partial development works, including office buildings, rest houses, an electrical substation, and some residential units, were completed.
However, in 1969-1970, the then-Pakistan government decided to cancel the implementation of this 200MW power production project.
After Liberation War
After Bangladesh gained independence in 1971 following the Liberation War, the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, retook the initiative to construct the 200-megawatt nuclear power plant.
From 1977 to 1986, MS Sofratom conducted a feasibility study and found the Rooppur site suitable for constructing a nuclear power plant.
The Executive Committee of National Economic Council (Ecnec) approved a 125MW nuclear power plant project. However, due to some constraints and limitations, that plan could not be implemented.
In 1987-1988, two companies from Germany and Switzerland conducted a second feasibility study and justified that the Rooppur site was technically, economically and financially feasible for a 300-500MW nuclear power plant.
Between 1997 and 2000, the then Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC) Chairman Dr MA Wazed Miah took a fresh initiative to construct a nuclear power plant with a capacity of 600MW.
Bangladesh Nuclear Power Action Plan was approved by the government in 2000.
2008-2012: From Awami League’s manifesto to atomic energy act
In the Awami League's 2008 election manifesto, they pledged to build the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant in Ishwardi, Pabna.
Once in power, the party started Bangladesh's first nuclear power project.
Under a development program titled as “Accomplishment of Essential Activities for the Implementation of Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant Project”, steps were taken to perform the primary preparatory works and development of nuclear infrastructures.
A memorandum of understanding (MoU) on “Cooperation in Using Nuclear Energy for Peaceful Purpose” was signed on May 13, 2009, between BAEC and Russia's state-owned atomic company Rosatom.
A framework agreement on “Cooperation in Using Nuclear Energy for Peaceful Purpose” was signed between Bangladesh and the Russian Federation on May 21, 2010.
To ensure the smooth execution of the project, under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, a national committee, a technical committee led by the science and technology minister, and a working group headed by the secretary of the Ministry of Science and Technology were formed, along with eight sub-working groups.
The decision to build the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant was approved in the parliament on November 10, 2010.
In December 2010, the former director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Yukiya Amano, visited Bangladesh and committed full support from the IAEA for the Rooppur project.
An intergovernmental agreement (IGA) between the Bangladesh government and the Russian Federation on cooperation concerning the construction of the Rooppur NPP was signed on November 2, 2011.
From November 9-15, 2011, an IAEA Integrated Nuclear Infrastructure Review (INIR) mission was conducted to evaluate the overall status of Bangladesh's nuclear infrastructure.
The Bangladesh Atomic Energy Regulatory Act, 2012 was passed in the parliament on June 19, 2012.
RNPP's first phase construction inaugurated
On January 15, 2013, during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's visit to Russia, a state export credit agreement was signed for the preparatory work of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant.
Based on the signed intergovernmental agreement (IGA) and the state export credit agreement, the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant establishment (first phase) project was adopted.
On October 2, 2013, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina formally inaugurated the first phase of the construction of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant.
Formation of NPP act, NPCBL
On September 16, 2015, the Nuclear Power Plant Act 2015, which contains provisions for the establishment and management of an operating organization for the nuclear power plant, was issued.
On August 18, the Nuclear Power Plant Company Bangladesh Limited (NPCBL) was formed for the establishment and operation of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant and other nuclear power plants.
Another agreement was signed on December 25 for the execution of the main phase of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant project.
From May 10-14, 2016, a follow-up mission was conducted to review the progress in implementing the IAEA's recommendations on establishing the necessary nuclear infrastructure for the construction of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant.
On June 21, 2016, the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority granted a site licence for the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant.
A meeting of the Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) between Russia and Bangladesh concerning the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant project was held in Dhaka on June 22, 2016.
This meeting made key decisions regarding the supply, management, operation and maintenance of fuel for the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant.
Bangladesh and Russian governments signed the intergovernmental credit agreement for the construction of the Rooppur NPP on July 26, 2016.
An agreement between the Russian Federation and Bangladesh on “Cooperation Concerning Return of Spent Nuclear Fuel from Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant to Russian Federation” was signed on March 15, 2017.
An intergovernmental agreement between the Bangladesh government and the Indian government on “Cooperation in the Peaceful Use of Nuclear Energy” and an inter-agency Agreement between the Global Centre for Nuclear Energy Partnership (GCNEP), India’s Department of Atomic Energy and Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission on “Cooperation Regarding Nuclear Power Plant Projects in Bangladesh” was signed on April 8, 2017.
Satisfaction over the plant construction
On July 3, 2017, Yukiya Amano visited the construction site of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant.
At that time, he expressed satisfaction that the plant followed all international standards.
An agreement between the Bangladesh government and the Russian Federation on “Cooperation Concerning Return of Spent Nuclear Fuel from Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant to Russian Federation” was signed on August 30, 2017.
The Bangladesh Atomic Energy Control Authority (BAERA) issued the design and construction licence for Rooppur NPP Unit-1 in favour of the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission on November 4, 2017.
On 30 November 2017, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the concrete pouring of the first unit of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant.
Nuclear reactor pressure vessels inaugurated
On October 10, 2021, and October 18, 2022, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the work to install the nuclear reactor pressure vessels for the first and second units of the power plant.
She participated virtually from Ganabhaban in both events. Rosatom Director General Aleksey Likhachev was present at the event under the chairmanship of Science and Technology Minister Architect Yeafesh Osman in Rooppur.
Nuclear Fuel Batch Celebration
The first batch of fresh uranium, the nuclear fuel of the first unit of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, was taken from Dhaka to the project site on September 29, 2023.
Director General of the Russian State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom, Alexey Likhachev, will hand over the fuel officially to the project authority in the Rooppur project.
Science and Technology Minister Architect Yeafesh Osman will preside over the function while Rafael Mariano Grossi, director general of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will join the ceremony through video conference.
Project director Dr Mohammad Shawkat Akbar and other sources reported that foreign nationals working on the project, including Russians, reside in the Green City Housing project and various events have been organized for them which will continue until October 6.
During a visit to the Green City Housing project on Tuesday, Science and Technology Minister Architect Yeafesh Osman said that the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant is Bangladesh's greatest achievement since its independence.
With this, Bangladesh has become the 33rd nuclear power country and has gained the capability to work with this technology, he added.
Anticipated Power Production in 2024 and 2025
The construction of the two units of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, spread over 1,062 acres of land, is nearly in its final stages. Officials have indicated that it will be possible to commence operations as scheduled.
In March 2024, the first unit of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant is set to begin producing 1,200MW of electricity.
By mid-2025, the second unit is also expected to start producing a similar amount of power.
The electricity produced by this project will be added to the national grid.
Those involved hope that this will significantly contribute to meeting the country's power deficit.
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Rooppur will be ready on time
The much-awaited Rooppur nuclear power plant is coming along at more or less the expected pace but the country has to wait longer to enjoy the benefits as the power evacuation facility from the plant would not be ready on time.
Rooppur will be ready on time
But power generation will be delayed
Photo: Collected
The much-awaited Rooppur nuclear power plant is coming along at more or less the expected pace but the country has to wait longer to enjoy the benefits as the power evacuation facility from the plant would not be ready on time.
One of the two projects for power evacuation from Rooppur, which was taken up in April 2018 for completion by December this year, saw 63 percent physical progress and 47.78 percent financial progress as of June, according to the Power Grid Company of Bangladesh (PGCB). The Tk 10,981 crore transmission project is unlikely to be completed before the middle of next year, according to officials.
Photo: Collected
The much-awaited Rooppur nuclear power plant is coming along at more or less the expected pace but the country has to wait longer to enjoy the benefits as the power evacuation facility from the plant would not be ready on time.
One of the two projects for power evacuation from Rooppur, which was taken up in April 2018 for completion by December this year, saw 63 percent physical progress and 47.78 percent financial progress as of June, according to the Power Grid Company of Bangladesh (PGCB). The Tk 10,981 crore transmission project is unlikely to be completed before the middle of next year, according to officials.
The physical progress of the other project, which was taken up in July 2022 for completion by June 2025, is just 5 percent and the financial progress is 7.47 percent as of July 3, according to PGCB.
Under the project, 7 kilometre-long 400 kV and 230 kV double circuit lines crossing the Jamuna river and a 2 km-long 400 kV single circuit line across the Padma river were supposed to be set up at a cost of Tk 6,056.3 crore.
"It will not be possible to start test production unless the power evacuation facility is up and running," said a top official of the Tk 113,092 crore Rooppur power plant project on the condition of anonymity to speak candidly on the matter.
As of July, the Rooppur power plant in Pabna has seen 60 percent physical progress and 58 percent financial progress, according to a report of the Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division on the status of eight fast-track projects taken up between 2009 and 2016.
The project has reached its most important stage: fresh nuclear fuel will soon be delivered to the site, which will mark the transition of the nuclear power plant under construction into the status of a nuclear facility and make Bangladesh a member of the "nuclear community".
The first unit of the Rooppur nuclear power plant was scheduled to start commissioning in March next year and the other unit a year later.
Another fast-track project, the Tk 16,000 crore Maitree Super Thermal Power Plant in Rampal, is yet to begin full-swing operation for lack of transmission facilities and dredging in the Pashur river, according to the IMED report.
The project's physical progress is 94.64 percent and financial progress is 89.93 percent.
The deadline for the project was February 2023, and one unit of the plant has already gone into operation in December last year. However, it is yet to reach its maximum production capacity, the IMED report said.
For power supply from the plant, a 400 kV Ameenbazar line and a 230 kV Khulna line have been readied.
However, it has not been possible to supply full evacuation from the operational unit. On the other hand, when the Payra plant is operational, less electricity from the Rampal plant can be supplied through the Ameenbazar line, the IMED report said.
Besides, coal supply to the Rampal plant has been interrupted as navigability in the Pashur river has reduced amid a lack of dredging. Dredging in the Pashur river will not begin before June 2024, according to the Mongla port authority.
"There is no limitation to evacuating the power from Payra and Rampal -- we are transmitting what they are producing," AKM Gause Mohiuddin Ahmed, managing director of PGCB, told The Daily Star.
He said the IMED report might be dated.
"We have issued the clearance a long time back that we can evacuate the total electricity from both the Payra and Rampal power plants," Ahmed added.
The second unit of the Rampal plant is expected to go into commercial operation in October this year. The plant will require about 80 lakh tonnes of coal in the next three years as fuel consumption.
For uninterrupted coal supply, the IMED suggested the Bangladesh Bank ensure adequate dollars.
However, one of the fast-track projects, the much-talked-about Padma bridge, was opened for vehicular movement in June last year -- which is ahead of schedule. Only 1 percent of the physical work now remains, while the financial progress for the project is 89 percent.
The Tk 39,246 crore Padma Bridge Rail Link Project saw 81 percent physical progress and 75.5 percent financial progress, according to the report.
As of July, the Tk 4,374.47 crore Payra deep seaport project achieved 90 percent physical progress and 86 percent financial progress.
The Tk 33,461 crore Dhaka Metro Rail project, known officially as the Dhaka Mass Rapid Transit Development Project Line 6, has recorded physical progress of 78 percent and financial progress of 68 percent.
Metro is running from Uttara to Agargaon, and from October, it will be ferrying passengers up to Motijheel. The rest of the line -- from Motijheel to Kamlapur -- is under construction.
Another project the Moheskhali-Matarbari Integrated Infrastructure Development project has 12 components including a 1,200 MW power plant.
The Tk 51,854 crore project has made 77.70 percent physical progress and 64.91 percent financial progress.
The project was undertaken in 2014 with a deadline set for full implementation by December 2026.
The physical progress of the Matarbari port and the power plant is 94 percent and the power plant's initial synchronisation has been completed, the IMED report said.
With the power evacuation line completed, the power plant has a target to start producing electricity in December.
The Tk 18,034 crore Single Line Dual Gauge Railway Track from Dohazari to Cox's Bazar saw 87 percent physical progress and 44 percent financial progress. The railway is likely to be opened in September.
However, a project official said the cost is likely to be slashed by $400 million as it is yet to be decided whether one of the components -- a 28-km railway from Ramu to Gundam near Myanmar -- would be constructed.
The total cost for the eight projects is Tk 308,676 crore, 67 percent of which has been spent as of July, according to the report.
Under the project, 7 kilometre-long 400 kV and 230 kV double circuit lines crossing the Jamuna river and a 2 km-long 400 kV single circuit line across the Padma river were supposed to be set up at a cost of Tk 6,056.3 crore.
"It will not be possible to start test production unless the power evacuation facility is up and running," said a top official of the Tk 113,092 crore Rooppur power plant project on the condition of anonymity to speak candidly on the matter.
As of July, the Rooppur power plant in Pabna has seen 60 percent physical progress and 58 percent financial progress, according to a report of the Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division on the status of eight fast-track projects taken up between 2009 and 2016.
The project has reached its most important stage: fresh nuclear fuel will soon be delivered to the site, which will mark the transition of the nuclear power plant under construction into the status of a nuclear facility and make Bangladesh a member of the "nuclear community".
The first unit of the Rooppur nuclear power plant was scheduled to start commissioning in March next year and the other unit a year later.
Another fast-track project, the Tk 16,000 crore Maitree Super Thermal Power Plant in Rampal, is yet to begin full-swing operation for lack of transmission facilities and dredging in the Pashur river, according to the IMED report.
The project's physical progress is 94.64 percent and financial progress is 89.93 percent.
The deadline for the project was February 2023, and one unit of the plant has already gone into operation in December last year. However, it is yet to reach its maximum production capacity, the IMED report said.
For power supply from the plant, a 400 kV Ameenbazar line and a 230 kV Khulna line have been readied.
However, it has not been possible to supply full evacuation from the operational unit. On the other hand, when the Payra plant is operational, less electricity from the Rampal plant can be supplied through the Ameenbazar line, the IMED report said.
Besides, coal supply to the Rampal plant has been interrupted as navigability in the Pashur river has reduced amid a lack of dredging. Dredging in the Pashur river will not begin before June 2024, according to the Mongla port authority.
"There is no limitation to evacuating the power from Payra and Rampal -- we are transmitting what they are producing," AKM Gause Mohiuddin Ahmed, managing director of PGCB, told The Daily Star.
He said the IMED report might be dated.
"We have issued the clearance a long time back that we can evacuate the total electricity from both the Payra and Rampal power plants," Ahmed added.
The second unit of the Rampal plant is expected to go into commercial operation in October this year. The plant will require about 80 lakh tonnes of coal in the next three years as fuel consumption.
For uninterrupted coal supply, the IMED suggested the Bangladesh Bank ensure adequate dollars.
However, one of the fast-track projects, the much-talked-about Padma bridge, was opened for vehicular movement in June last year -- which is ahead of schedule. Only 1 percent of the physical work now remains, while the financial progress for the project is 89 percent.
The Tk 39,246 crore Padma Bridge Rail Link Project saw 81 percent physical progress and 75.5 percent financial progress, according to the report.
As of July, the Tk 4,374.47 crore Payra deep seaport project achieved 90 percent physical progress and 86 percent financial progress.
The Tk 33,461 crore Dhaka Metro Rail project, known officially as the Dhaka Mass Rapid Transit Development Project Line 6, has recorded physical progress of 78 percent and financial progress of 68 percent.
Metro is running from Uttara to Agargaon, and from October, it will be ferrying passengers up to Motijheel. The rest of the line -- from Motijheel to Kamlapur -- is under construction.
Another project the Moheskhali-Matarbari Integrated Infrastructure Development project has 12 components including a 1,200 MW power plant.
The Tk 51,854 crore project has made 77.70 percent physical progress and 64.91 percent financial progress.
The project was undertaken in 2014 with a deadline set for full implementation by December 2026.
The physical progress of the Matarbari port and the power plant is 94 percent and the power plant's initial synchronisation has been completed, the IMED report said.
With the power evacuation line completed, the power plant has a target to start producing electricity in December.
The Tk 18,034 crore Single Line Dual Gauge Railway Track from Dohazari to Cox's Bazar saw 87 percent physical progress and 44 percent financial progress. The railway is likely to be opened in September.
However, a project official said the cost is likely to be slashed by $400 million as it is yet to be decided whether one of the components -- a 28-km railway from Ramu to Gundam near Myanmar -- would be constructed.
The total cost for the eight projects is Tk 308,676 crore, 67 percent of which has been spent as of July, according to the report.
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Bangladesh PM inaugurates Rooppur 2 reactor vessel installation : New Nuclear - World Nuclear News
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has hailed the benefits to come at an event coinciding with the installation of the reactor pressure vessel at Rooppur 2, the second unit of Bangladesh's first nuclear power plant.
Bangladesh PM inaugurates Rooppur 2 reactor vessel installation
20 October 2022
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has hailed the benefits to come at an event coinciding with the installation of the reactor pressure vessel at Rooppur 2, the second unit of Bangladesh's first nuclear power plant.
Unit 2 is due to begin operation in 2024 (Image: Rosatom)
The prime minister joined the event virtually, saying: "Rooppur NPP will help us provide a better life for our compatriots. Once again, I thank Russia for helping to build this power plant. We paid attention to the overall safety and reliability of the construction of a nuclear power plant. Safety was our main concern."
Rosatom Director General Alexey Likhachov, who is visiting Bangladesh, marked the occasion saying: "A year ago, we witnessed the installation of the first reactor vessel in its regular place, and today the same operation was completed at the second reactor. We see that the construction of the first nuclear power plant in Bangladesh is proceeding actively, despite the obstacles that the pandemic has created for us.
"I am sincerely grateful to the entire team of builders for their well-coordinated work. I express my gratitude to the authorities of the Republic of Bangladesh for their full support of the project. Together, every day we bring closer the launch of the nuclear power plant, which the people of Bangladesh are waiting for."
The Dhaka Tribune reports that during a visit to the construction site on Tuesday the Science and Technology minister Yeafesh Osman said the overall project was now 53% complete, and the first unit more than 70% complete.
The newspaper reported the Rooppur NPP Project Director Shaukat Akbar as saying they were hoping to meet the target of starting production of the first unit on a trial basis in October 2023 and "be fully ready to supply in 2024".
The Rooppur plant, which is about 160 kilometres from the capital Dhaka, will have two Russian VVER-1200 reactors with a capacity of 2400 MWe. As part of the installation process the 334-tonne reactor vessel was moved through the transport lock into the containment of the reactor building and installed in the design position.
During his visit, Likhachov also took part in the opening ceremony of the station's new training centre where staff from Bangladesh will be trained in specialised classrooms and production facilities.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has hailed the benefits to come at an event coinciding with the installation of the reactor pressure vessel at Rooppur 2, the second unit of Bangladesh's first nuclear power plant.
Unit 2 is due to begin operation in 2024 (Image: Rosatom)
The prime minister joined the event virtually, saying: "Rooppur NPP will help us provide a better life for our compatriots. Once again, I thank Russia for helping to build this power plant. We paid attention to the overall safety and reliability of the construction of a nuclear power plant. Safety was our main concern."
Rosatom Director General Alexey Likhachov, who is visiting Bangladesh, marked the occasion saying: "A year ago, we witnessed the installation of the first reactor vessel in its regular place, and today the same operation was completed at the second reactor. We see that the construction of the first nuclear power plant in Bangladesh is proceeding actively, despite the obstacles that the pandemic has created for us.
"I am sincerely grateful to the entire team of builders for their well-coordinated work. I express my gratitude to the authorities of the Republic of Bangladesh for their full support of the project. Together, every day we bring closer the launch of the nuclear power plant, which the people of Bangladesh are waiting for."
The Dhaka Tribune reports that during a visit to the construction site on Tuesday the Science and Technology minister Yeafesh Osman said the overall project was now 53% complete, and the first unit more than 70% complete.
The newspaper reported the Rooppur NPP Project Director Shaukat Akbar as saying they were hoping to meet the target of starting production of the first unit on a trial basis in October 2023 and "be fully ready to supply in 2024".
The Rooppur plant, which is about 160 kilometres from the capital Dhaka, will have two Russian VVER-1200 reactors with a capacity of 2400 MWe. As part of the installation process the 334-tonne reactor vessel was moved through the transport lock into the containment of the reactor building and installed in the design position.
During his visit, Likhachov also took part in the opening ceremony of the station's new training centre where staff from Bangladesh will be trained in specialised classrooms and production facilities.
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First batch of uranium reaches Rooppur plant
The first batch of uranium for Rooppur nuclear power plant, which arrived at the Dhaka airport yesterday, reached the project site this afternoon under special security arrangements following international guidelines
First batch of uranium reaches Rooppur plant
Photo: Collected
The first batch of uranium for Rooppur nuclear power plant, which arrived at the Dhaka airport yesterday, reached the project site this afternoon under special security arrangements following international guidelines.
The consignment reached the Rooppur plant in Pabna's Ishwardi upazila around 1:25pm after it started from Dhaka this morning, reports our Pabna correspondent quoting an official of the power plant.
Bangladesh Army led the security protocol for transporting the nuclear fuel, a senior official of the Rooppur project said earlier seeking anonymity.
The radioactive fuel was carried in special vehicles escorted by vehicles of the armed forces, fire brigade, health service personnel, and other necessary security arrangements will be in place, sources said.
The radioactive fuel will be stored at the project site, sources in the power plant told our Pabna correspondent.
The handover ceremony is likely to be held on October 5. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Russian President Vladimir Putin are likely to join the ceremony virtually, project sources said, adding that the director general of International Atomic Energy Agency is likely to attend the ceremony, project officials said.
A Russian chartered plane, carrying the nuclear fuel for Unit-1 in Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, reached Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport around 1:30pm yesterday.
The Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant is being built at Ishwardi in Pabna for $12.65 billion. The two units of the plant have a capacity to produce 2,400 MW of electricity. Unit-1 is likely to be commissioned next year.
M
Malang
Too late for Bangladesh.
The developed nations are shifted to alternative green energy options such as wind or solar energy.
You spend 9 billion USD to generate 1200MW in Pakistan, then carry the risk of accident for the duration of the nuclear plant or use the same amount to easily generate 2500-4000MW at the ever-decreasing cheaper cost compared to nuclear energy.
The choice is yours
en.wikipedia.org
It is good to have the knowledge of nuclear energy but no longer the most feasible option
The developed nations are shifted to alternative green energy options such as wind or solar energy.
You spend 9 billion USD to generate 1200MW in Pakistan, then carry the risk of accident for the duration of the nuclear plant or use the same amount to easily generate 2500-4000MW at the ever-decreasing cheaper cost compared to nuclear energy.
The choice is yours
Fukushima nuclear accident - Wikipedia
It is good to have the knowledge of nuclear energy but no longer the most feasible option
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Govt considering 2nd nuclear plant in Bangladesh: PM
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today said the government is planning to build another nuclear power plant to meet the country’s growing demand for electricity.
Govt considering 2nd nuclear plant in Bangladesh: PM
Photo: Star
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today said the government is planning to build another nuclear power plant to meet the country's growing demand for electricity.
"Today is a very important day for us. The day is not only important for Bangladesh but also for me as well," she said while inaugurating the reactor pressure vessel installation work of Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP) via video conference from her official Gono Bhaban residence in Dhaka this morning, according to a BSS report.
"Bangladesh has entered the nuclear world," she added.
Hasina said the government has taken a decision to set up another nuclear power plant on completion of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant project.
"We're looking for a place in the southern region…It's difficult to find hard soil there but we're surveying various islands and different places to find a suitable one…My choice is on the other side of the Padma river…," UNB quoted her as saying.
Saying that the government is conducting surveys to select a suitable place, she said, "If the government can build another nuclear power plant in the country, there'll be no problem in power supply."
The prime minister said that the government has set a target to turn the country into a developed one within 2041.
In 2071, the prime minister said, the country will celebrate its 100 years of independence. "That will surely be celebrated by the new generation in a beautiful, developed, prosperous and modern technology knowledge-based country," she hoped.
Russian and Bangladeshi expert teams installed the reactor pressure vessel brought to the project site from Russia in October, 2020.
The plant would contain two power units with an electrical capacity of 1,200MW each.
Science and Technology Minister Yeafesh Osman presided over the function and Russia's state-run atomic energy body Rosatom's Director General Alexey Likhachev spoke as the special guest from the RNPP project site.
Science and Technology Secretary, Ziaul Hasan, delivered the welcome address while Project Director of the plant, Dr Mohammad Shawkat Akbar, joined the event from the reactor building. A video presentation on the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant was screened at the function.
Project Director Shaukat Akbar told The Daily Star yesterday, "Installation of reactor pressure vessel is one of the major tasks for using nuclear energy to generate electricity. Nuclear fuel (uranium) from reactor pressure vessel is used to generate electricity."
With installation of the reactor in the main unit of the nuclear power plant at Rooppur in Pabna, the country's aspiration to produce nuclear energy is going to be materialised.
Development of nuclear power industry will not only resolve the problem of energy supply in Bangladesh but will also contribute to the development of the region and enhance the living standards of the people.
The Rooppur project is being implemented by the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission, which is being constructed with the technical and financial support of Russia.
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Better late than never.
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Chinese company willing to build second nuke power plant in Bangladesh
China's state-owned company -- Dongfang Electric Corporation (DEC) -- wants to build the proposed second nuclear power plant in Bangladesh. A top official of the corporation said recently that the Chinese company had shown interest to build the second nuclear power plant which the government of Ba
Chinese company willing to build second nuke power plant in Bangladesh
ISMAIL HOSSAIN FROM SICHUAN
China's state-owned company -- Dongfang Electric Corporation (DEC) -- wants to build the proposed second nuclear power plant in Bangladesh.
A top official of the corporation said recently that the Chinese company had shown interest to build the second nuclear power plant which the government of Bangladesh is planning to set up.
"Bangladesh is our traditional market. We have constant communication with our Bangladeshi counterpart. But there is no promising result until now about the nuclear power plant," Vice President of Dongfang Electric Corporation (DEC) Hu Weidong told the FE while responding to a question at its head office in Chengdu, the capital city of Sichuan.
In November 2017, Bangladesh started the construction work of its first nuclear power plant at Rooppur of Pabna district.
Russia's state-owned nuclear corporation Rosatom is implementing the project at a cost of $ 12.65 billion.
According to Rosatom, the first unit at Rooppur is scheduled to go into commercial operation in 2023 while the second unit in 2024.
However, Bangladesh has already made a list of eight sites for building the second nuclear power plant. Of the eight sites, four are in Khulna, close to the Sundarbans, and four others are at Majher Char in Barguna, Gangamati in Patuakhali, Boyar Char in Noakhali and Muhurir Char in Feni.
While talking to the FE, Mr Weidong said, "Nuclear power is clean and safe. It is future reply to increasing demand for power."
In reply to a question about mounting concerns over safety and security of nuclear power, he said DEC is capable of building and running safe and secured nuclear power plant.
He said DEC provides nuclear power plant machinery to France, the UK and Pakistan. It also runs nuclear power plants in China.
He said every country has its own way of choosing business deal.
"Certainly Bangladesh has its preferences. We are trying our best," he added.
According to Bangladesh officials, once the site for second nuclear power plant is finalised and an elaborate feasibility study will be conducted, and the power generation capacity of the nuclear plant will be fixed.
The state-owned Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC) is working on the project.
BAEC started the project following a directive by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in 2014 to set up a second nuclear power plant in the south.
DEC, headquartered in Chengdu, is one of the most influential enterprise groups under the direct administration of the Chinese central government.
With the development over half a century, DEC has become a comprehensive group specialised in manufacturing industry, research and development of cutting edge technology, contracting international engineering projects, exporting complete plants and equipment, and conducting international economic and technical cooperation.
DEC represents top-class technological and manufacturing level for China's heavy machinery and equipment industry, and is appointed by the Chinese central government as one of the most important state-owned enterprise groups concerning the national economy.
Being an active international contractor, DEC takes the lead in China particularly in contracting international power stations and a wide variety of large engineering projects, and exports complete plants and equipment to almost 70 countries involving projects in such diverse fields as power generation, electric and mechanical works, power distribution and transmission, railways, environmental protection, heavy duty mining and metallurgy equipment, traffic and transportation, communication etc.
It has also power projects in Bangladesh.
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Is Bangladesh’s ‘nuclear prestige’ an illusion?
Does Bangladesh really require another nuclear power plant? Or is the decision partly motivated by the pursuit of prestige?
Is Bangladesh's 'nuclear prestige' an illusion?
Do we really need, or can we really afford, to build another nuclear power plant? PHOTO: SANVI AHMED SAIM/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
It came as an unexpected surprise in early April when Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina asked Rosatom, the Russian state corporation that specialises in nuclear energy, to consider building another nuclear power station in Rooppur. The revelation came at a time when Bangladesh has already been struggling with depleting foreign exchange reserves, high inflation, load-shedding, poor human development, and an increasing debt burden. The country has already begun to seek new loans to repay its existing ones, as per a recent CPD analysis. In addition, Bangladesh is also taking fresh loans at high interest rates to buy oil and LNG from foreign sources. The country finds itself in an exceedingly precarious situation as both its external borrowings and debt-servicing obligations are increasing at a rapid pace. There is also uncertainty over securing a fresh source of foreign currency inflow to cover future debt.
In this circumstance, does Bangladesh really require another nuclear power plant? Or is the decision partly motivated by the pursuit of prestige?
"Nuclear prestige" refers to the high status that governments believe they can acquire by building nuclear weapons. Countries armed with nuclear weapons perceive it as a symbol of prestige because it represents the exclusive ability of employing an advanced technology, and the image of leadership it projects to the international community.
Research has shown that at key historical junctures, countries pursued nuclear weapons to gain prestige. Harvard political scientist Alastair Iain Johnston's research in 1995 showed that Mao's decision to construct a nuclear bomb was motivated in part by a desire to gain international prominence. American foreign policy and intelligence executive Gregory F Treverton used in his book, Framing Compellent Strategies, the example of Chandrasekhara Rao, whose reason for India's first explosion in 1974 was that nuclear weapons would enhance the country's prestige. Similar observations were made about France's Charles De Gaulle by Princeton academic Wilfried Kohl in 1971, and by Yale professor Barry O'Neill in 2006 about Iraq's Saddam Hussein pondering the use of nuclear weapons to acquire prestige and regional leadership.
Only 32 of the world's 195 countries have nuclear power facilities. With the exception of two lower middle-income countries, Pakistan and India, the majority of these nations belong to the high- or higher-middle-income category. These two nations' plans to build nuclear power facilities went hand in hand with their strategy to increase their nuclear weapons capabilities. India's nuclear programme began in the mid-1940s, when then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru envisioned the potential to cover the complete fuel cycle, and India purchased its first reactor from Canada in the 1950s.
Similarly, China's nuclear programme was established in 1955, led by Mao Zedong. Ultimately, Pakistan took a significant step towards nuclear armament under the guidance of Bhutto following the loss of East Pakistan in 1971. These countries exhibited a common pattern of nuclear adoption. They developed their nuclear weapon programmes due to concerns about national security and the need to assert their national identity in a tense geopolitical landscape. The potential of conflict drove these nations to construct and solidify their national and military identities.
Interestingly, when Bangladesh decided to construct a nuclear power plant, certain interest groups portrayed it as a symbol of prestige. What they overlooked is that the historical concept of prestige is associated with gaining technical competence to produce weapons and energy, rather than importing nuclear technology and expertise from overseas and remaining indefinitely dependent on external power. The nuclear collaboration between Bangladesh and Russia is not a reflection of Bangladesh's financial capabilities, nor does it demonstrate its technical capacity to develop nuclear power plants on its own using domestic technology.
Russia is providing 90 percent of the funds in the form of loans. In other words, Russia is bankrolling this project so that Bangladesh can purchase Russian nuclear equipment and employ Russian consultants, specialists, and personnel. This so-called financial capacity, in reality, is a future debt burden for our citizens. And then, once the nuclear power plant is built, Russia will operate it as long as Bangladesh does not develop the capacity to run the project itself. Furthermore, the tripartite agreement between Bangladesh, Russia, and India enabled India to develop Bangladesh's human resource capacity for Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP). It is reasonable if India is proud of its human resource development efforts in Bangladesh. But is it a matter of prestige for Bangladesh to receive human resource training from India?
This leads us to the questions that are central to this discussion. Is this nuclear prestige false? Who benefits from this constructed sense of prestige?
Megaprojects are commonly recognised as effective means to demonstrate modernity and development. In numerous developing nations, dominant political parties frequently employ large-scale projects as a strategy to push the prominence of development, despite the fact that the benefits derived from these projects hardly ever reach the people.
For a weak state, lacking the ability to manage inflation, guarantee public service provision, and enforce laws, it is easier to create a false impression of progress than to allow the citizens to reap the benefits of true development. Building a nuclear power plant gave politicians a chance to create an illusion of attaining technical prowess when, in reality, we are simply boasting about the abilities and expertise of others.
It is noteworthy that around one-third of countries with nuclear power plants produce less than 10 percent of their total electricity from nuclear energy. These countries include Japan, Germany, China, Brazil, South Africa, Argentina, Mexico, Netherlands, Iran, and India. If nuclear power is such an efficient and ecologically beneficial energy source, why aren't these countries building more nuclear power plants?
The answer is straightforward. Even nations with sophisticated capabilities refrain from relying on nuclear power due to the inherent risks, exorbitant costs, and the long-lasting damage caused by radioactive waste for thousands of years. Despite India's nuclear weapons capacity, why was the contribution of nuclear power in its energy generation only 3.1 percent by 2022, as reported by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)? Once the RNPP commences operation, the share of nuclear power in Bangladesh's electricity output will be approximately seven percent, subject to future capacity increases. Constructing a second one will further increase the share.
Bangladesh has already borrowed $11.38 billion from Russia to build the first 2,400MW RNPP. The 20-year repayment period will begin in 2027, with $500 million per year for the first three years and then less in subsequent years. The first and second units were originally planned to be finished in 2023 and 2024, respectively. However, so far, 85 percent of the construction has been completed, with a revised completion date set for 2026.
How can a country consider building a second nuclear power plant when it doesn't know whether the first one will be able to operate successfully? We are not sure whether it will take two to three years or more for Bangladesh to be fully capable of operating RNPP on its own. With all of these uncertainties and risks, how can a country risk another one?
Since the days of Mao Zedong and Jawaharlal Nehru, the world has seen significant transformation. In the international arena, prestige is now defined as the ability to invest in research and development to exploit cutting-edge solar, wind, and green hydrogen technologies. Ironically, Bangladesh continues to adhere to a misleading definition of nuclear prestige. The country needs to realise its true potential, rather than relying on the illusion of nuclear prestige.
Moshahida Sultana Ritu is associate professor at the Department of Accounting and Information Systems of the University of Dhaka.
Do we really need, or can we really afford, to build another nuclear power plant? PHOTO: SANVI AHMED SAIM/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
It came as an unexpected surprise in early April when Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina asked Rosatom, the Russian state corporation that specialises in nuclear energy, to consider building another nuclear power station in Rooppur. The revelation came at a time when Bangladesh has already been struggling with depleting foreign exchange reserves, high inflation, load-shedding, poor human development, and an increasing debt burden. The country has already begun to seek new loans to repay its existing ones, as per a recent CPD analysis. In addition, Bangladesh is also taking fresh loans at high interest rates to buy oil and LNG from foreign sources. The country finds itself in an exceedingly precarious situation as both its external borrowings and debt-servicing obligations are increasing at a rapid pace. There is also uncertainty over securing a fresh source of foreign currency inflow to cover future debt.
In this circumstance, does Bangladesh really require another nuclear power plant? Or is the decision partly motivated by the pursuit of prestige?
"Nuclear prestige" refers to the high status that governments believe they can acquire by building nuclear weapons. Countries armed with nuclear weapons perceive it as a symbol of prestige because it represents the exclusive ability of employing an advanced technology, and the image of leadership it projects to the international community.
Research has shown that at key historical junctures, countries pursued nuclear weapons to gain prestige. Harvard political scientist Alastair Iain Johnston's research in 1995 showed that Mao's decision to construct a nuclear bomb was motivated in part by a desire to gain international prominence. American foreign policy and intelligence executive Gregory F Treverton used in his book, Framing Compellent Strategies, the example of Chandrasekhara Rao, whose reason for India's first explosion in 1974 was that nuclear weapons would enhance the country's prestige. Similar observations were made about France's Charles De Gaulle by Princeton academic Wilfried Kohl in 1971, and by Yale professor Barry O'Neill in 2006 about Iraq's Saddam Hussein pondering the use of nuclear weapons to acquire prestige and regional leadership.
Only 32 of the world's 195 countries have nuclear power facilities. With the exception of two lower middle-income countries, Pakistan and India, the majority of these nations belong to the high- or higher-middle-income category. These two nations' plans to build nuclear power facilities went hand in hand with their strategy to increase their nuclear weapons capabilities. India's nuclear programme began in the mid-1940s, when then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru envisioned the potential to cover the complete fuel cycle, and India purchased its first reactor from Canada in the 1950s.
Similarly, China's nuclear programme was established in 1955, led by Mao Zedong. Ultimately, Pakistan took a significant step towards nuclear armament under the guidance of Bhutto following the loss of East Pakistan in 1971. These countries exhibited a common pattern of nuclear adoption. They developed their nuclear weapon programmes due to concerns about national security and the need to assert their national identity in a tense geopolitical landscape. The potential of conflict drove these nations to construct and solidify their national and military identities.
Interestingly, when Bangladesh decided to construct a nuclear power plant, certain interest groups portrayed it as a symbol of prestige. What they overlooked is that the historical concept of prestige is associated with gaining technical competence to produce weapons and energy, rather than importing nuclear technology and expertise from overseas and remaining indefinitely dependent on external power. The nuclear collaboration between Bangladesh and Russia is not a reflection of Bangladesh's financial capabilities, nor does it demonstrate its technical capacity to develop nuclear power plants on its own using domestic technology.
Russia is providing 90 percent of the funds in the form of loans. In other words, Russia is bankrolling this project so that Bangladesh can purchase Russian nuclear equipment and employ Russian consultants, specialists, and personnel. This so-called financial capacity, in reality, is a future debt burden for our citizens. And then, once the nuclear power plant is built, Russia will operate it as long as Bangladesh does not develop the capacity to run the project itself. Furthermore, the tripartite agreement between Bangladesh, Russia, and India enabled India to develop Bangladesh's human resource capacity for Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP). It is reasonable if India is proud of its human resource development efforts in Bangladesh. But is it a matter of prestige for Bangladesh to receive human resource training from India?
This leads us to the questions that are central to this discussion. Is this nuclear prestige false? Who benefits from this constructed sense of prestige?
Megaprojects are commonly recognised as effective means to demonstrate modernity and development. In numerous developing nations, dominant political parties frequently employ large-scale projects as a strategy to push the prominence of development, despite the fact that the benefits derived from these projects hardly ever reach the people.
For a weak state, lacking the ability to manage inflation, guarantee public service provision, and enforce laws, it is easier to create a false impression of progress than to allow the citizens to reap the benefits of true development. Building a nuclear power plant gave politicians a chance to create an illusion of attaining technical prowess when, in reality, we are simply boasting about the abilities and expertise of others.
It is noteworthy that around one-third of countries with nuclear power plants produce less than 10 percent of their total electricity from nuclear energy. These countries include Japan, Germany, China, Brazil, South Africa, Argentina, Mexico, Netherlands, Iran, and India. If nuclear power is such an efficient and ecologically beneficial energy source, why aren't these countries building more nuclear power plants?
The answer is straightforward. Even nations with sophisticated capabilities refrain from relying on nuclear power due to the inherent risks, exorbitant costs, and the long-lasting damage caused by radioactive waste for thousands of years. Despite India's nuclear weapons capacity, why was the contribution of nuclear power in its energy generation only 3.1 percent by 2022, as reported by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)? Once the RNPP commences operation, the share of nuclear power in Bangladesh's electricity output will be approximately seven percent, subject to future capacity increases. Constructing a second one will further increase the share.
Bangladesh has already borrowed $11.38 billion from Russia to build the first 2,400MW RNPP. The 20-year repayment period will begin in 2027, with $500 million per year for the first three years and then less in subsequent years. The first and second units were originally planned to be finished in 2023 and 2024, respectively. However, so far, 85 percent of the construction has been completed, with a revised completion date set for 2026.
How can a country consider building a second nuclear power plant when it doesn't know whether the first one will be able to operate successfully? We are not sure whether it will take two to three years or more for Bangladesh to be fully capable of operating RNPP on its own. With all of these uncertainties and risks, how can a country risk another one?
Since the days of Mao Zedong and Jawaharlal Nehru, the world has seen significant transformation. In the international arena, prestige is now defined as the ability to invest in research and development to exploit cutting-edge solar, wind, and green hydrogen technologies. Ironically, Bangladesh continues to adhere to a misleading definition of nuclear prestige. The country needs to realise its true potential, rather than relying on the illusion of nuclear prestige.
Moshahida Sultana Ritu is associate professor at the Department of Accounting and Information Systems of the University of Dhaka.
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The writer has conveniently forgotten that laundering tens of billions of dollars is the prime cause of dollar shortages in the country. Building second nuclear power plant won't cause economic hardship in the country as this nuclear plant will provide cheapest electricity once completed. For Bangladesh nuclear plant is not national prestige rather necessity as our gas reserve, which is used to run power plants, is about to exhaust within a few years. If we take a long term view of energy security of the country then nuclear technology is an absolute necessity to generate electricity and safeguard our energy interest.Is Bangladesh’s ‘nuclear prestige’ an illusion?
Does Bangladesh really require another nuclear power plant? Or is the decision partly motivated by the pursuit of prestige?www.thedailystar.net
Is Bangladesh's 'nuclear prestige' an illusion?
View attachment 5214
Do we really need, or can we really afford, to build another nuclear power plant? PHOTO: SANVI AHMED SAIM/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
It came as an unexpected surprise in early April when Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina asked Rosatom, the Russian state corporation that specialises in nuclear energy, to consider building another nuclear power station in Rooppur. The revelation came at a time when Bangladesh has already been struggling with depleting foreign exchange reserves, high inflation, load-shedding, poor human development, and an increasing debt burden. The country has already begun to seek new loans to repay its existing ones, as per a recent CPD analysis. In addition, Bangladesh is also taking fresh loans at high interest rates to buy oil and LNG from foreign sources. The country finds itself in an exceedingly precarious situation as both its external borrowings and debt-servicing obligations are increasing at a rapid pace. There is also uncertainty over securing a fresh source of foreign currency inflow to cover future debt.
In this circumstance, does Bangladesh really require another nuclear power plant? Or is the decision partly motivated by the pursuit of prestige?
"Nuclear prestige" refers to the high status that governments believe they can acquire by building nuclear weapons. Countries armed with nuclear weapons perceive it as a symbol of prestige because it represents the exclusive ability of employing an advanced technology, and the image of leadership it projects to the international community.
Research has shown that at key historical junctures, countries pursued nuclear weapons to gain prestige. Harvard political scientist Alastair Iain Johnston's research in 1995 showed that Mao's decision to construct a nuclear bomb was motivated in part by a desire to gain international prominence. American foreign policy and intelligence executive Gregory F Treverton used in his book, Framing Compellent Strategies, the example of Chandrasekhara Rao, whose reason for India's first explosion in 1974 was that nuclear weapons would enhance the country's prestige. Similar observations were made about France's Charles De Gaulle by Princeton academic Wilfried Kohl in 1971, and by Yale professor Barry O'Neill in 2006 about Iraq's Saddam Hussein pondering the use of nuclear weapons to acquire prestige and regional leadership.
Only 32 of the world's 195 countries have nuclear power facilities. With the exception of two lower middle-income countries, Pakistan and India, the majority of these nations belong to the high- or higher-middle-income category. These two nations' plans to build nuclear power facilities went hand in hand with their strategy to increase their nuclear weapons capabilities. India's nuclear programme began in the mid-1940s, when then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru envisioned the potential to cover the complete fuel cycle, and India purchased its first reactor from Canada in the 1950s.
Similarly, China's nuclear programme was established in 1955, led by Mao Zedong. Ultimately, Pakistan took a significant step towards nuclear armament under the guidance of Bhutto following the loss of East Pakistan in 1971. These countries exhibited a common pattern of nuclear adoption. They developed their nuclear weapon programmes due to concerns about national security and the need to assert their national identity in a tense geopolitical landscape. The potential of conflict drove these nations to construct and solidify their national and military identities.
Interestingly, when Bangladesh decided to construct a nuclear power plant, certain interest groups portrayed it as a symbol of prestige. What they overlooked is that the historical concept of prestige is associated with gaining technical competence to produce weapons and energy, rather than importing nuclear technology and expertise from overseas and remaining indefinitely dependent on external power. The nuclear collaboration between Bangladesh and Russia is not a reflection of Bangladesh's financial capabilities, nor does it demonstrate its technical capacity to develop nuclear power plants on its own using domestic technology.
Russia is providing 90 percent of the funds in the form of loans. In other words, Russia is bankrolling this project so that Bangladesh can purchase Russian nuclear equipment and employ Russian consultants, specialists, and personnel. This so-called financial capacity, in reality, is a future debt burden for our citizens. And then, once the nuclear power plant is built, Russia will operate it as long as Bangladesh does not develop the capacity to run the project itself. Furthermore, the tripartite agreement between Bangladesh, Russia, and India enabled India to develop Bangladesh's human resource capacity for Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP). It is reasonable if India is proud of its human resource development efforts in Bangladesh. But is it a matter of prestige for Bangladesh to receive human resource training from India?
This leads us to the questions that are central to this discussion. Is this nuclear prestige false? Who benefits from this constructed sense of prestige?
Megaprojects are commonly recognised as effective means to demonstrate modernity and development. In numerous developing nations, dominant political parties frequently employ large-scale projects as a strategy to push the prominence of development, despite the fact that the benefits derived from these projects hardly ever reach the people.
For a weak state, lacking the ability to manage inflation, guarantee public service provision, and enforce laws, it is easier to create a false impression of progress than to allow the citizens to reap the benefits of true development. Building a nuclear power plant gave politicians a chance to create an illusion of attaining technical prowess when, in reality, we are simply boasting about the abilities and expertise of others.
It is noteworthy that around one-third of countries with nuclear power plants produce less than 10 percent of their total electricity from nuclear energy. These countries include Japan, Germany, China, Brazil, South Africa, Argentina, Mexico, Netherlands, Iran, and India. If nuclear power is such an efficient and ecologically beneficial energy source, why aren't these countries building more nuclear power plants?
The answer is straightforward. Even nations with sophisticated capabilities refrain from relying on nuclear power due to the inherent risks, exorbitant costs, and the long-lasting damage caused by radioactive waste for thousands of years. Despite India's nuclear weapons capacity, why was the contribution of nuclear power in its energy generation only 3.1 percent by 2022, as reported by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)? Once the RNPP commences operation, the share of nuclear power in Bangladesh's electricity output will be approximately seven percent, subject to future capacity increases. Constructing a second one will further increase the share.
Bangladesh has already borrowed $11.38 billion from Russia to build the first 2,400MW RNPP. The 20-year repayment period will begin in 2027, with $500 million per year for the first three years and then less in subsequent years. The first and second units were originally planned to be finished in 2023 and 2024, respectively. However, so far, 85 percent of the construction has been completed, with a revised completion date set for 2026.
How can a country consider building a second nuclear power plant when it doesn't know whether the first one will be able to operate successfully? We are not sure whether it will take two to three years or more for Bangladesh to be fully capable of operating RNPP on its own. With all of these uncertainties and risks, how can a country risk another one?
Since the days of Mao Zedong and Jawaharlal Nehru, the world has seen significant transformation. In the international arena, prestige is now defined as the ability to invest in research and development to exploit cutting-edge solar, wind, and green hydrogen technologies. Ironically, Bangladesh continues to adhere to a misleading definition of nuclear prestige. The country needs to realise its true potential, rather than relying on the illusion of nuclear prestige.
Moshahida Sultana Ritu is associate professor at the Department of Accounting and Information Systems of the University of Dhaka.
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Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant: First unit to start production in Dec
One of the two units of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant will be commissioned this December if transmission lines are ready although the deadline for the project’s completion has been extended to 2027.
Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant: First unit to start production in Dec
Project deadline extended by 2 years, but authorities hope to complete grid line work before scheduled commissioning
One of the two units of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant will be commissioned this December if transmission lines are ready although the deadline for the project's completion has been extended to 2027.
The decision to extend the deadline by two years was made at a meeting between Russian and Bangladeshi officials in Dhaka in the second week of February.
Officials, however, said no specific date for the project's completion has been fixed yet.
The 2400MW power plant is being built in Rooppur, Pabna, at a cost of $12.65 billion. Of the amount, $11.38 billion will be provided by Russia as soft loans. It is the most expensive development project in the country ever.
"Since this is a turnkey project, time extension will not result in additional costs," Yafes Osman, minister for science and technology, told The Daily Star.
Construction work was hampered by the coronavirus pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine war and delays in the construction of power lines, said several officials who attended the Joint Coordination Committee's meeting in February.
The original project proposal said unit-1 would be in operation on December 23, 2022, unit-2 on October 8, 2023, and the entire project would be done by December 31, 2025.
Construction of unit-1 formally began on November 30, 2017, and unit-2 on July 14, 2018.
In October 2023, the first Russian shipment of uranium reached the site on the bank of the Padma in Ishwardi, earning Bangladesh the recognition of being the 33rd country in the world to produce nuclear energy.
According to Project Director Zahedul Hasan, the Power Grid Company of Bangladesh will set up four lines by October this year.
"If we get the lines on time, we believe unit-1 will be in operation in December," he said.
The PGCB is building six lines with a combined length of 669km.
From unit-1, there will be a 60km transmission line to Baghabari, 102km line to Bogura, 144km line to Gopalgonj, and 2km line across the Padma.
From Unit-2, there will be an 147km line to Dhaka, 14km of which will be over the Jamuna.
"A mission from the International Atomic Energy Agency is likely to visit the site for an inspection... we will start training the key personnel from May," said Zahedul, who replaced Shawkat Akbar, the first project director, on April 16.
The plant also needs an operational licence before nuclear fuel is loaded, he said.
Shawkat, now chairman of Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission, which is implementing the project, said the deadline extension was not a matter of concern.
Delwar Hossain, project director of Transmission Lines for Power Evacuation of Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, told this newspaper that installation of lines on land had seen over 90 percent progress. The line across the Padma saw 40 percent progress and will be completed by October.
The part over the Jamuna will be done by 2025, he added.
Shafiqul Islam, a professor of nuclear engineering at Dhaka University, said, "To lower economic risks and to maintain a good reputation, a project like this must be completed within eight years. Delays will give the wrong message to the international community about our capability to handle such a sensitive project."
Yafes Osman said, "The main construction work did not begin on time. There were obstacles like Covid and Russia-Ukraine war… Almost all similar projects around the world need at least 10 years to complete."
Nuclear power will be a game-changer in Bangladesh's fight against climate change, he said.
Russia's state-owned Rosatom is constructing the plant with two VVER-1,200 reactors.
Project deadline extended by 2 years, but authorities hope to complete grid line work before scheduled commissioning
One of the two units of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant will be commissioned this December if transmission lines are ready although the deadline for the project's completion has been extended to 2027.
The decision to extend the deadline by two years was made at a meeting between Russian and Bangladeshi officials in Dhaka in the second week of February.
Officials, however, said no specific date for the project's completion has been fixed yet.
The 2400MW power plant is being built in Rooppur, Pabna, at a cost of $12.65 billion. Of the amount, $11.38 billion will be provided by Russia as soft loans. It is the most expensive development project in the country ever.
"Since this is a turnkey project, time extension will not result in additional costs," Yafes Osman, minister for science and technology, told The Daily Star.
Construction work was hampered by the coronavirus pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine war and delays in the construction of power lines, said several officials who attended the Joint Coordination Committee's meeting in February.
The original project proposal said unit-1 would be in operation on December 23, 2022, unit-2 on October 8, 2023, and the entire project would be done by December 31, 2025.
Construction of unit-1 formally began on November 30, 2017, and unit-2 on July 14, 2018.
In October 2023, the first Russian shipment of uranium reached the site on the bank of the Padma in Ishwardi, earning Bangladesh the recognition of being the 33rd country in the world to produce nuclear energy.
According to Project Director Zahedul Hasan, the Power Grid Company of Bangladesh will set up four lines by October this year.
"If we get the lines on time, we believe unit-1 will be in operation in December," he said.
The PGCB is building six lines with a combined length of 669km.
From unit-1, there will be a 60km transmission line to Baghabari, 102km line to Bogura, 144km line to Gopalgonj, and 2km line across the Padma.
From Unit-2, there will be an 147km line to Dhaka, 14km of which will be over the Jamuna.
"A mission from the International Atomic Energy Agency is likely to visit the site for an inspection... we will start training the key personnel from May," said Zahedul, who replaced Shawkat Akbar, the first project director, on April 16.
The plant also needs an operational licence before nuclear fuel is loaded, he said.
Shawkat, now chairman of Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission, which is implementing the project, said the deadline extension was not a matter of concern.
Delwar Hossain, project director of Transmission Lines for Power Evacuation of Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, told this newspaper that installation of lines on land had seen over 90 percent progress. The line across the Padma saw 40 percent progress and will be completed by October.
The part over the Jamuna will be done by 2025, he added.
Shafiqul Islam, a professor of nuclear engineering at Dhaka University, said, "To lower economic risks and to maintain a good reputation, a project like this must be completed within eight years. Delays will give the wrong message to the international community about our capability to handle such a sensitive project."
Yafes Osman said, "The main construction work did not begin on time. There were obstacles like Covid and Russia-Ukraine war… Almost all similar projects around the world need at least 10 years to complete."
Nuclear power will be a game-changer in Bangladesh's fight against climate change, he said.
Russia's state-owned Rosatom is constructing the plant with two VVER-1,200 reactors.
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Bangladesh wants Russia to extend loan repayment time by two years as the country is hard hit by Covid-19 and Russia-Ukraine war.
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Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant: leave fear, know the facts
The use of nuclear energy is not new for Bangladesh. Bangladesh has been successfully using nuclear technology in the fields of medicine, agriculture, and research for a long time. However, Bangladesh is completely new to power generation using this technology. In this endeavor, Bangladesh is recei
Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant: leave fear, know the facts
SWAPAN KUMAR KUNDU
Published :
May 28, 2024 14:17
Updated :
May 28, 2024 14:17
The use of nuclear energy is not new for Bangladesh. Bangladesh has been successfully using nuclear technology in the fields of medicine, agriculture, and research for a long time. However, Bangladesh is completely new to power generation using this technology. In this endeavor, Bangladesh is receiving financial and technical support from its long-standing ally, Russia.
Although nuclear power generation is new to Bangladesh, it has been a global practice for almost half a century. Giventhe financial, technical, and environmental benefits, around thirty countries worldwide are already using nuclear technology in power generation. As the global population increases and the available landdecreases, densely populated and developing countries with limited energy resources are increasingly turning to nuclear power to support their socio-economic development.
Countries like Bangladesh considering nuclear energy for power generation are naturally apprehensive about accidents at Three Mile Island, Chernobyl, or Fukushima. In this regard, the Bangladesh government has prioritized safety in the implementation of the Rooppur nuclear power project which is now under construction. The project uses one of the world's safest technologies, the VVER-1200 reactor developedby Russia.This decision means that the Bangladesh government and related institutions, Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission, have placedutmost importance onselecting the reactor technology. This reactor is the latest version of the VVER-type reactor family. This technology will include all security features of the Russian Federation.The Rooppur project is being implemented step by step following all safety standards. It is being implemented by the current government with utmost importance. Even when the entire world came to a virtual standstill during the COVID-19 pandemic, the work on the Rooppur project went ahead maintainingproper hygiene protocols.
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SWAPAN KUMAR KUNDU
Published :
May 28, 2024 14:17
Updated :
May 28, 2024 14:17
The use of nuclear energy is not new for Bangladesh. Bangladesh has been successfully using nuclear technology in the fields of medicine, agriculture, and research for a long time. However, Bangladesh is completely new to power generation using this technology. In this endeavor, Bangladesh is receiving financial and technical support from its long-standing ally, Russia.
Although nuclear power generation is new to Bangladesh, it has been a global practice for almost half a century. Giventhe financial, technical, and environmental benefits, around thirty countries worldwide are already using nuclear technology in power generation. As the global population increases and the available landdecreases, densely populated and developing countries with limited energy resources are increasingly turning to nuclear power to support their socio-economic development.
Countries like Bangladesh considering nuclear energy for power generation are naturally apprehensive about accidents at Three Mile Island, Chernobyl, or Fukushima. In this regard, the Bangladesh government has prioritized safety in the implementation of the Rooppur nuclear power project which is now under construction. The project uses one of the world's safest technologies, the VVER-1200 reactor developedby Russia.This decision means that the Bangladesh government and related institutions, Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission, have placedutmost importance onselecting the reactor technology. This reactor is the latest version of the VVER-type reactor family. This technology will include all security features of the Russian Federation.The Rooppur project is being implemented step by step following all safety standards. It is being implemented by the current government with utmost importance. Even when the entire world came to a virtual standstill during the COVID-19 pandemic, the work on the Rooppur project went ahead maintainingproper hygiene protocols.
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- Jan 24, 2024
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- #15
Too late for Bangladesh.
The developed nations are shifted to alternative green energy options such as wind or solar energy.
You spend 9 billion USD to generate 1200MW in Pakistan, then carry the risk of accident for the duration of the nuclear plant or use the same amount to easily generate 2500-4000MW at the ever-decreasing cheaper cost compared to nuclear energy.
The choice is yours
Fukushima nuclear accident - Wikipedia
It is good to have the knowledge of nuclear energy but no longer the most feasible option
Wind and Solar discussion is off topic here, please look for a separate thread on that subject or open one.
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