Risks with a nuclear plant

This refers to budget highlights and comments on it about plans for investment in important sectors in the next financial year. We plan to pump in 16 per cent more in the next financial year. In the summary, a list of major projects has been tabled, some of which, I sincerely believe, should be dropped.

Based on my detailed web studies on U236-based nuclear power plants and the radiation dangers involved in U236-fuelled nuclear power plants, I strongly believe, any such plant must not be constructed in Bangladesh. Think about the Russians who are still suffering from countless radiation-related sicknesses - the horrible after-effects of their 'Chernobyl Folly'. We have welcomed them to lead us in this very dangerous route. Both our land and waterways will be polluted. May God save our future generations.

The option of nuclear power plant must be dropped. Rather we should spend Tk 10 billion for conventional power generation both through public and private sectors. Another ay Tk 2.50 billion should go into Voltaic Mini Grids in selected towns, backed up with battery power when sunlight is reduced on cloudy and rainy days.    Another Tk 500 million can easily set up two Methane generating plants in two towns, to begin with, based on regular availability of 'solid human refuse'. That is well established all over Thailand.

The 'Metro Rail' should be dropped now since electric power is needed for it. We should only go for it when we have surplus power available during the day, when our load is nearly maximum. Rather some of this fund can be used to set up a DC mini grid in Moheskhali island, based on sun and wind power generation and backed with emergency smaller conventional power sources, only for emergencies.

As a conscious citizen, I feel alarmed. How many of our 'experts' who are going for the dangerous nuclear power plant have seriously studied the radiation and other hazards, in operating a (U236) nuclear power plant?

The writer is an engineer. sam@dhakacom.com