When nuclear power generation is a necessity
Thursday, 28 June 2007
Shahiduzzaman Khan
It's good news that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has allowed Bangladesh to set up a nuclear reactor. An IAEA delegation, currently on a visit to Bangladesh, is having talks with the advisers and high government officials to discuss the modalities of the proposed plant and the nuclear energy prospects.
A report published in the FE this week said that Bangladesh is among the eight least developed countries (LDCs) that have been given the IAEA nod for setting up nuclear power plant within 2050. The existing only important nuclear facility in Bangladesh is a three megawatt (MW) 'Triga Mark' research reactor which is in operation at the Atomic energy research centre at Savar for carrying out research and development activities and production of certain radioisotopes.
Now, what is the nuclear power? It is the controlled use of nuclear reactions to release energy for work including propulsion, heat and generation of electricity. It is produced by a controlled nuclear chain reaction and creates heat that is used to boil water, produce steam and drive a steam turbine, which can be used for mechanical work and also to generate electricity.
Meanwhile, a South Korean company -- Daewoo Engineering -- has expressed its desire to provide fund and technology to Bangladesh for setting up the nuclear power plant. The company that has extensive experiences in installing nuclear power plant in many countries across the globe, placed the proposal to the Ministry of Science, Information and Communication Technology recently. The Daewoo Engineering will provide 70 per cent of the total cost for installing the nuclear power plant in Bangladesh apart from supplying the required technology. Currently, South Korea meets 45 per cent of its electricity needs from nuclear power and the share would continue to rise.
The first commercial nuclear power plant was built in 1954. Since then, nuclear power reactors have grown fast and about 390 of them were built until 1986. Oil crisis due to the Arab-Israel war in 1973 had a significant effect on the construction of nuclear power plants worldwide. As of 2004, nuclear power provides 6.5 per cent of the world's energy and 15.7 per cent of the world's electricity. The US, France and Japan together account for 57 per cent of all nuclear generated electricity. As of today, the IAEA reported there are 435 nuclear power reactors in operation in 31 different countries. The newly permitted eight countries to set up nuclear plants are in addition to those.
South Korea has so far developed 1000 megawatt (MW) Korean Standard Nuclear Power Plant. The installation cost of a nuclear power plant is around US$ 1.5 million per megawatt (MW) whereas it is $1.0 million for one MW gas-fired combined cycle. But the generation cost of electricity from nuclear power is the cheapest. The total nuclear power installed world-wide by 2004 was 366 giga-watt (GW). But the agency has projected nuclear power generation to reach 423-592 GW world-wide by 2030. As of 2004 Asia accounted for 18 of the 26 reactors under construction and for 20 of the last 30 reactors to have been connected to the grid. There were 440 nuclear power plants (NPPs) world-wide operating at the end of 2004.
Over the course of the year, nuclear power supplied 16 per cent of the world's electricity. Elsewhere in Asia, nuclear power's absolute and relative contributions are smaller, but China and India in particular plan significant expansion. India, with 14 operating reactors at the end of 2004, got 2.8 per cent of its electricity from nuclear power by 2004. However, nine more reactors were under construction in India, including 500 megawatt (MW) prototype fast breeder reactor that begun in 2004 at Kalpakkam. India's goal is to supply 25 per cent of its electricity from nuclear power by 2050. China, with nine operating reactors at the end of 2004, two under construction and 2.2 per cent of its electricity from nuclear power, plans expansion to 32-40 GW by 2020 for 4.0-5.0 per cent of the electricity supply.
An electricity-hungry country, Bangladesh has so far failed to generate adequate power from conventional sources to meet its domestic and industrial needs. During the immediate-past BNP-led 4-party alliance government, the generation of electricity could not be raised, excepting the installation of only Tongi power plant. This plant has also failed to add power to the national grid due to mechanical trouble. Power generation failed to grow in tandem with the industrial growth.
Earlier, the government sought soft loans from China to implement the long-awaited Rooppur Nuclear Power Project (RNPP) at Ishwardi in Pabna under a framework agreement signed between the two governments in 2005. To mitigate the severe power crisis in the country, establishment of the RNPP is seen highly essential. The project was first considered in 1961 in view of the growing needs for electricity against inadequate supply. Before the liberation of Bangladesh, companies from Belgium, Canada, the USA, the USSR, the UK and Switzerland had submitted proposals and determined its techno-economic viability through a number of feasibility studies.
The government also acquired 105.30 and 12.15 hectares of lands for the plant and for residential complex respectively during the time. But the project was not implemented due to the then Pakistan government's reluctance, and the Canadian nuclear plant, originally proposed for Rooppur, was set up in Karachi.
The Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC) was constituted in 1973 soon after liberation of Bangladesh in 1971. But it failed to move forward due to lack of a political decision as well as the required fund, except for having one operating research reactor at Savar. With the recent approval of the IAEA, Bangladesh looks forward to generating power in nuclear reactor. It is necessary to scrutinise every details of the proposed plant to make environment-friendly power generation that should also be economically viable.
It's good news that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has allowed Bangladesh to set up a nuclear reactor. An IAEA delegation, currently on a visit to Bangladesh, is having talks with the advisers and high government officials to discuss the modalities of the proposed plant and the nuclear energy prospects.
A report published in the FE this week said that Bangladesh is among the eight least developed countries (LDCs) that have been given the IAEA nod for setting up nuclear power plant within 2050. The existing only important nuclear facility in Bangladesh is a three megawatt (MW) 'Triga Mark' research reactor which is in operation at the Atomic energy research centre at Savar for carrying out research and development activities and production of certain radioisotopes.
Now, what is the nuclear power? It is the controlled use of nuclear reactions to release energy for work including propulsion, heat and generation of electricity. It is produced by a controlled nuclear chain reaction and creates heat that is used to boil water, produce steam and drive a steam turbine, which can be used for mechanical work and also to generate electricity.
Meanwhile, a South Korean company -- Daewoo Engineering -- has expressed its desire to provide fund and technology to Bangladesh for setting up the nuclear power plant. The company that has extensive experiences in installing nuclear power plant in many countries across the globe, placed the proposal to the Ministry of Science, Information and Communication Technology recently. The Daewoo Engineering will provide 70 per cent of the total cost for installing the nuclear power plant in Bangladesh apart from supplying the required technology. Currently, South Korea meets 45 per cent of its electricity needs from nuclear power and the share would continue to rise.
The first commercial nuclear power plant was built in 1954. Since then, nuclear power reactors have grown fast and about 390 of them were built until 1986. Oil crisis due to the Arab-Israel war in 1973 had a significant effect on the construction of nuclear power plants worldwide. As of 2004, nuclear power provides 6.5 per cent of the world's energy and 15.7 per cent of the world's electricity. The US, France and Japan together account for 57 per cent of all nuclear generated electricity. As of today, the IAEA reported there are 435 nuclear power reactors in operation in 31 different countries. The newly permitted eight countries to set up nuclear plants are in addition to those.
South Korea has so far developed 1000 megawatt (MW) Korean Standard Nuclear Power Plant. The installation cost of a nuclear power plant is around US$ 1.5 million per megawatt (MW) whereas it is $1.0 million for one MW gas-fired combined cycle. But the generation cost of electricity from nuclear power is the cheapest. The total nuclear power installed world-wide by 2004 was 366 giga-watt (GW). But the agency has projected nuclear power generation to reach 423-592 GW world-wide by 2030. As of 2004 Asia accounted for 18 of the 26 reactors under construction and for 20 of the last 30 reactors to have been connected to the grid. There were 440 nuclear power plants (NPPs) world-wide operating at the end of 2004.
Over the course of the year, nuclear power supplied 16 per cent of the world's electricity. Elsewhere in Asia, nuclear power's absolute and relative contributions are smaller, but China and India in particular plan significant expansion. India, with 14 operating reactors at the end of 2004, got 2.8 per cent of its electricity from nuclear power by 2004. However, nine more reactors were under construction in India, including 500 megawatt (MW) prototype fast breeder reactor that begun in 2004 at Kalpakkam. India's goal is to supply 25 per cent of its electricity from nuclear power by 2050. China, with nine operating reactors at the end of 2004, two under construction and 2.2 per cent of its electricity from nuclear power, plans expansion to 32-40 GW by 2020 for 4.0-5.0 per cent of the electricity supply.
An electricity-hungry country, Bangladesh has so far failed to generate adequate power from conventional sources to meet its domestic and industrial needs. During the immediate-past BNP-led 4-party alliance government, the generation of electricity could not be raised, excepting the installation of only Tongi power plant. This plant has also failed to add power to the national grid due to mechanical trouble. Power generation failed to grow in tandem with the industrial growth.
Earlier, the government sought soft loans from China to implement the long-awaited Rooppur Nuclear Power Project (RNPP) at Ishwardi in Pabna under a framework agreement signed between the two governments in 2005. To mitigate the severe power crisis in the country, establishment of the RNPP is seen highly essential. The project was first considered in 1961 in view of the growing needs for electricity against inadequate supply. Before the liberation of Bangladesh, companies from Belgium, Canada, the USA, the USSR, the UK and Switzerland had submitted proposals and determined its techno-economic viability through a number of feasibility studies.
The government also acquired 105.30 and 12.15 hectares of lands for the plant and for residential complex respectively during the time. But the project was not implemented due to the then Pakistan government's reluctance, and the Canadian nuclear plant, originally proposed for Rooppur, was set up in Karachi.
The Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC) was constituted in 1973 soon after liberation of Bangladesh in 1971. But it failed to move forward due to lack of a political decision as well as the required fund, except for having one operating research reactor at Savar. With the recent approval of the IAEA, Bangladesh looks forward to generating power in nuclear reactor. It is necessary to scrutinise every details of the proposed plant to make environment-friendly power generation that should also be economically viable.