Safety behind nuke project's high cost: BAEC chairman

Defending the high cost of Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant project (RNPP), engineer M Ali Zulquarnain, chairman of Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEA), yesterday said safety issues have been ensured in the country's first-ever nuclear power project and the "safety has got its value".

"Many may say the project has been a costlier one, but safety has got its value," he told reporters responding to different questions on safety and security of the nuclear power technology at a seminar in the capital.

Bangladesh has signed a $12.65 billion contract in December last year with Russia to set up a 2,400 MW plant in Rooppur. In addition, Russia has charged $550 million for the plant design and conducting a feasibility study.

Many nuclear power plant experts, including Buet prof M Tamim and PDB's former chief engineer (Planning) Mizanur Rahman, found this cost higher compared to similar capacity plants.

Russia's State Corporation-Rosatom in association with Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST), BAEC, Russian Atomstroyexport (ASE) organised the roundtable conference, titled "Nuclear Power Project: Environmental and Safety Aspects", at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Novo Theatre.

Russian expert Ilya Platonov made a presentation at the seminar, where its South Asian Communication Manager Arkady Karneev spoke.

Zulquarnain said the proposed Russian nuclear reactor of VER 1,200 will have a "passive safety system" which ensures automatic shutdown in case of accidents.

Russian nuclear technology has been proven to be safer as many countries have set up nuclear power plants with Russian technology, he said.

He said many new and upcoming technologies in nuclear power plants are offering safety features. "So, there'll be no problem in setting up such plants in populated areas in the future."

Zulquarnain said neighbouring India has planned to set up a huge number of nuclear power plants having total capacity of 64,000 MW by 2030.

He said Russia will take back the spent fuel of the Rooppur plant and 96 percent of spent fuel is capable of recycling.

The riverine route will be used to transport the fuel and also heavy equipments.

Platonov said the management of spent fuel is part of the power plant operation.

He also claimed that nuclear power technology is an environment-friendly one for its low carbon emission.

Rosatom organised a photography exhibition, titled "The Ecology Around NPP", by a Hungarian photographer Balint Vincze at the Novo Theatre.