Main construction works of Bangladesh’s first ever nuclear power plant at Rooppur has already been launched on November 30 and the first of two units is expected to be connected to national grid in 2023. Bangladesh hopes to get 2,400 Mw of nuclear electricity by 2024, constituting approximately 10% of the country’s total power production by that time.
Bangladesh Government has been assuring that Rooppur plant to be built using the latest state-of-the-art nuclear technologies,to ensure its safety and high performance for decades. Two 3+ generation Russian VVER-1200 reactors, which currently areconsidered to be the safest and most advanced to be set up at Rooppur.
It is relevant to mention here that Novovoronezh nuclear power plant in central Russia, with the same reactor has recently been recognized as one of the best power plants in the world, by the reputed international magazine ‘power’. Many other countries including Finland, Turkey, Belorussia, Hungary, India are opting for the same reactors.
As a member-state of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Bangladesh is building the Rooppur NPP in accordance with the Agency’s safety standards,which are governed by IAEA Fundamental Safety Principles i.e. to protect the population and environment.
Environmental safety and protection, as well as the sustainable use of natural resources arethe top priorities and guiding principles Rosatom state corporation of Russia in development of nuclear power projects in Russia and abroad. Rosatom is helping Bangladesh in implementing the Rooppur project.
Nikolay Spassky, Deputy Director General of Rosatom, earlier this year confirmed that Rooppur NPP will conform to the highest safety standards set by the IAEA. "We have collected all related data which were satisfactory for building a plant ensuring all safety,"
“Rosatom will follow the local and the IAEA rules and guidelines in installing the plant.We will involve local people, scientists and academicians to share information about the nuclear power project at Rooppur as safety is our first concern."
Special environmental monitoring systems to measure gamma radiation level in the air, water and soil to be deployed in the adjacent areas of Rooppur NPP site. Advanced analytical tools for forecasting environmental risks also to be used. The same approach is adopted at the Russia’s Novovoronezh NPP, where the systems of industrial environmental control (IEC) and industrial environmental monitoring (IEM) are working.The IEM is a system of monitoring the environment affected by industrial operations of a user of natural resources. The main objective of the system is to assist with efficient management decision-making and the planning of activities aimed at ensuring environment-friendly operation of an industrial project.
In June 2017, Yukiya Amano, IAEA Director General, visited the Rooppur NPP site during his official visit to Bangladesh. According to him “Bangladesh is on the right track as it maintains all international standard and norms to implement the Rooppur Power Project,”
According to experts apart from being ecologically safe, the Rooppur nuclear power plant will help reduce the harmful consequences of climate change. since nuclear power plants virtually do not generate any CO2 emissions hence they are considered to produce minimum greenhouse effect and man-made impact on the environment. It’s worth to note that Bangladesh is a signatory of Climate Change Conference held in Paris (COP21), which sets a goal of limiting global warming to well below 2°C. Bangladesh is also a founding member of the Climate and Clean Air Coalition to Reduce Short-Lived Climate Pollutants (CCAC).
According to Dr. Shafiqul Islam Bhuiyan, Ex-Chairman of Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission and an internationally reputed academician energy mix of a country should have at least 25% nuclear component in meeting up the power increasing demand as well as COP 21 target. “Being the World’s highest densely populated country, the environment can no longer take the burden of pollutants if the electricity demand is met up by using fossil fuels. The land, rivers, fisheries, agriculture already hit by climate change. The eco-system soon will reach a critical stage,threatening the very survival of its huge population”, Dr. Bhuiyan said, “The Rooppur NPP will significantly contribute to environmental management and complex monitoring system of soil, water, and air for an eco-friendly environment. It will help Bangladesh to fight climate change issues and achieve goals of COP21.”
COP21, signed in April 22, 2016 entered into force on November 4, 2016. Bangladesh firmly stands by its commitment to COP21. Embarking on nuclear power technology is a testimony to Bangladesh’s commitment.
The writer is a Bangladeshi journalist