Nuclear power for fuel diversity, not for mitigation of current power crisis
Wednesday, 17 October 2012
Mushfiqur Rahman
Power tariff has been increased 15 per cent for the retail customers once again with effect from September 1, 2012. It is the third increase of power tariff during this year and the sixth one during the first four years of this government's tenure. The energy regulators and the decision makers of the power companies say that they had no option but to go for the price hike to maintain power generation. The power generating companies are very much dependant on the import oil-based rental and quick rental power plants. And with the increasing import costs of liquid petroleum, power generation costs continue to increase.
Sector specialists say that there is no alternative to setting up fuel-efficient big power plants to reduce cost of power generation. Unfortunately the government could not demonstrate its success in its efforts to install baseload power plants using coal, gas or nuclear energy. On the other hand, with the increasing power tariff rates, power sector system loss and power theft have been increasing. The power companies show their system loss at 15 per cent, but the experts say that the system loss would not be less than 25 per cent. Energy sector experts fear that power theft (revenue loss) will be stimulated if the power tariff goes beyond the purchasing limits of the majority of the customers. Bangladesh needs several large power plants to meet its vision for electricity to be attained within 2021.
In this connection the government's initiatives for reviving the five decade-old nuclear power project at Rooppur Bangladesh were encouraging for common people as it promises 2,000 MW power generation from nuclear energy. The government plans that nuclear power will be one of the major contributors to our baseload power generation capacity. It further hopes that the nuclear power plant, once in operation, will reduce our dependence on costly oil-based plants. In this regard media reports suggest that the government of Russian Federation has agreed to provide Bangladesh government 85 per cent of the necessary funds as credit for setting up of the Rooppur nuclear power plant.
The officials from the Ministry of Science and Information Technology disclosed further that Moscow would initially provide $500 million for conducting necessary studies and for design preparations for the 1000MW first phase nuclear power plant to be carried out within next two years. These technical studies will determine the requirements for necessary funds for developing two 1000 MW nuclear power units at Rooppur. Bangladesh intends to install the latest third generation nuclear power plant equipped with five-layer security protection measures. The estimated cost for a 1000 MW nuclear power plant is anticipated to vary between 1.5-2.0 billion dollars depending on its security measures and technical features.
The State Minister for Science and Information Technology informed the media that the Russians would submit a financial proposal shortly. It was planned that the construction works of the Rooppur plant would commence in 2013 and would be completed within the next five years. It was identified that 60 different studies would be required prior to the physical development of the Rooppur power plant. So far Bangladesh has completed 12 studies and the remaining studies are expected to be completed within the next two years. Therefore, the plant construction is unlikely to commence in 2013. A primary agreement for installing a 2,000 MW nuclear power plant was signed between the governments of Bangladesh and Russia in February 2011. A follow-up agreement for providing 'advisory support to the Bangladesh Regulatory Commission on regulation, licensing and supervision' was signed between them after one year of signing of the initial agreement. It may be mentioned that Bangladesh and Russian Federation first signed a protocol in May 2009 on peaceful usage of nuclear energy. The following year a framework agreement for cooperation in 'design, construction and operation of nuclear power and research reactors' was signed in Moscow between the
parties.
The progress in the implementation of the Roopur nuclear power plant project has been slow and the sector specialists say that Bangladesh lacks from shortages of trained and experienced professionals in the sector. As a result, the preparatory works for dealing with the nuclear power project face impediments. In the backdrop of increased concerns for nuclear power development worldwide, the challenges can be met only if there is a competent professional team working for appropriate technology selection, securing safety of the plant and its operations at a competitive cost for the plant.
Already some questions have been raised in the media that there are chances for mixing up the interests of the plant and equipment suppliers for the nuclear power plant and for supervising the plants design, construction and operation standards as Bangladesh has been taking the assistance from the same source for plant supply and construction services as well as for developing nuclear regulatory authority (commission). The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is designated to be an independent authority to oversee nuclear reactor safety, reactor licensing, radioactive material safety, spent fuel management etc. to protect public health and environment. In addition, questions have been raised if several independent agreements and protocols will help coordinating the development of the Rooppur nuclear power plant or complicate its development? One of the former chief engineers of the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission suggested for signing one umbrella agreement incorporating all required provisions necessary to cover the mutual obligations for construction and operation of the Rooppur nuclear power plant and to avoid complications with the project development.
Bangladesh lacks trained and experienced engineers for the operation of nuclear power plant. The Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC) neither could train nor could attract professionals for nuclear power plant as there was no major nuclear power plant in the country. The professionals who were recruited in the 1960's and trained at the research reactor at BAEC mostly left their jobs for better opportunities. Therefore, the government needs now to recruit engineers at various levels who can obtain training for construction and operations of a commercial nuclear power plant.
Developing of an appropriate professional team will help Bangladesh to negotiate with the contractors, selection of the safe and reliable technology for the plant and assure all concerned that there will be a safe and efficient nuclear power plant developed at Rooppur. The slow pace of the preparatory works, especially the essential studies necessary for design, plant selection and operation requirements, preparation of the project proposal and negotiation progress indicate that Bangladesh will unlikely be ready for signing the final Agreement shortly with the Russian government. Subsequently, the construction of the power plant reactor and ancillary facilities will take at least 5-6 additional years. So, the nuclear power on the power grid in Bangladesh is unlikely to be commissioned before 2021.
Nuclear power is not the option for Bangladesh to find urgent solution to the prevailing energy and power problems. It will take more than a decade to produce nuclear energy. Nuclear power generation will not also be cheap as many people like to say. Rather the cost for installation of the third generation nuclear reactor with adequate safety measures and insurance costs will add to high operating costs for the plant.
The writer is a mining engineer.
He writes on energy and
environment issues.
mushfiq41@yahoo.com
Power tariff has been increased 15 per cent for the retail customers once again with effect from September 1, 2012. It is the third increase of power tariff during this year and the sixth one during the first four years of this government's tenure. The energy regulators and the decision makers of the power companies say that they had no option but to go for the price hike to maintain power generation. The power generating companies are very much dependant on the import oil-based rental and quick rental power plants. And with the increasing import costs of liquid petroleum, power generation costs continue to increase.
Sector specialists say that there is no alternative to setting up fuel-efficient big power plants to reduce cost of power generation. Unfortunately the government could not demonstrate its success in its efforts to install baseload power plants using coal, gas or nuclear energy. On the other hand, with the increasing power tariff rates, power sector system loss and power theft have been increasing. The power companies show their system loss at 15 per cent, but the experts say that the system loss would not be less than 25 per cent. Energy sector experts fear that power theft (revenue loss) will be stimulated if the power tariff goes beyond the purchasing limits of the majority of the customers. Bangladesh needs several large power plants to meet its vision for electricity to be attained within 2021.
In this connection the government's initiatives for reviving the five decade-old nuclear power project at Rooppur Bangladesh were encouraging for common people as it promises 2,000 MW power generation from nuclear energy. The government plans that nuclear power will be one of the major contributors to our baseload power generation capacity. It further hopes that the nuclear power plant, once in operation, will reduce our dependence on costly oil-based plants. In this regard media reports suggest that the government of Russian Federation has agreed to provide Bangladesh government 85 per cent of the necessary funds as credit for setting up of the Rooppur nuclear power plant.
The officials from the Ministry of Science and Information Technology disclosed further that Moscow would initially provide $500 million for conducting necessary studies and for design preparations for the 1000MW first phase nuclear power plant to be carried out within next two years. These technical studies will determine the requirements for necessary funds for developing two 1000 MW nuclear power units at Rooppur. Bangladesh intends to install the latest third generation nuclear power plant equipped with five-layer security protection measures. The estimated cost for a 1000 MW nuclear power plant is anticipated to vary between 1.5-2.0 billion dollars depending on its security measures and technical features.
The State Minister for Science and Information Technology informed the media that the Russians would submit a financial proposal shortly. It was planned that the construction works of the Rooppur plant would commence in 2013 and would be completed within the next five years. It was identified that 60 different studies would be required prior to the physical development of the Rooppur power plant. So far Bangladesh has completed 12 studies and the remaining studies are expected to be completed within the next two years. Therefore, the plant construction is unlikely to commence in 2013. A primary agreement for installing a 2,000 MW nuclear power plant was signed between the governments of Bangladesh and Russia in February 2011. A follow-up agreement for providing 'advisory support to the Bangladesh Regulatory Commission on regulation, licensing and supervision' was signed between them after one year of signing of the initial agreement. It may be mentioned that Bangladesh and Russian Federation first signed a protocol in May 2009 on peaceful usage of nuclear energy. The following year a framework agreement for cooperation in 'design, construction and operation of nuclear power and research reactors' was signed in Moscow between the
parties.
The progress in the implementation of the Roopur nuclear power plant project has been slow and the sector specialists say that Bangladesh lacks from shortages of trained and experienced professionals in the sector. As a result, the preparatory works for dealing with the nuclear power project face impediments. In the backdrop of increased concerns for nuclear power development worldwide, the challenges can be met only if there is a competent professional team working for appropriate technology selection, securing safety of the plant and its operations at a competitive cost for the plant.
Already some questions have been raised in the media that there are chances for mixing up the interests of the plant and equipment suppliers for the nuclear power plant and for supervising the plants design, construction and operation standards as Bangladesh has been taking the assistance from the same source for plant supply and construction services as well as for developing nuclear regulatory authority (commission). The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is designated to be an independent authority to oversee nuclear reactor safety, reactor licensing, radioactive material safety, spent fuel management etc. to protect public health and environment. In addition, questions have been raised if several independent agreements and protocols will help coordinating the development of the Rooppur nuclear power plant or complicate its development? One of the former chief engineers of the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission suggested for signing one umbrella agreement incorporating all required provisions necessary to cover the mutual obligations for construction and operation of the Rooppur nuclear power plant and to avoid complications with the project development.
Bangladesh lacks trained and experienced engineers for the operation of nuclear power plant. The Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC) neither could train nor could attract professionals for nuclear power plant as there was no major nuclear power plant in the country. The professionals who were recruited in the 1960's and trained at the research reactor at BAEC mostly left their jobs for better opportunities. Therefore, the government needs now to recruit engineers at various levels who can obtain training for construction and operations of a commercial nuclear power plant.
Developing of an appropriate professional team will help Bangladesh to negotiate with the contractors, selection of the safe and reliable technology for the plant and assure all concerned that there will be a safe and efficient nuclear power plant developed at Rooppur. The slow pace of the preparatory works, especially the essential studies necessary for design, plant selection and operation requirements, preparation of the project proposal and negotiation progress indicate that Bangladesh will unlikely be ready for signing the final Agreement shortly with the Russian government. Subsequently, the construction of the power plant reactor and ancillary facilities will take at least 5-6 additional years. So, the nuclear power on the power grid in Bangladesh is unlikely to be commissioned before 2021.
Nuclear power is not the option for Bangladesh to find urgent solution to the prevailing energy and power problems. It will take more than a decade to produce nuclear energy. Nuclear power generation will not also be cheap as many people like to say. Rather the cost for installation of the third generation nuclear reactor with adequate safety measures and insurance costs will add to high operating costs for the plant.
The writer is a mining engineer.
He writes on energy and
environment issues.
mushfiq41@yahoo.com