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The power pact

Bangladesh has the potential to be a middle-income country. International financial institutions and the reputed investment firm Goldman Sachs have assessed that it is not impossible for the country to generate a double-digit figure of economic growth annually.

Harun ur Rashid
ON May 21, Bangladesh entered a new era of generating energy from nuclear plants by signing a five-year framework agreement with the Russian Federation. The agreement paves the way for cooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear energy to meet the growing power needs of the country. The agreement can be renewed after its expiry.
The site for a nuclear plant at Rooppur was selected in the '60s, but work could not proceed because of many factors, including non-availability of adequate finance and safety concerns in a densely populated country.
Bangladesh has the potential to be a middle-income country. International financial institutions and the reputed investment firm Goldman Sachs have assessed that it is not impossible for the country to generate a double-digit figure of economic growth annually.
It is common knowledge that, among others, two primary factors — inadequate supply of energy/electricity and poor infrastructure — impede the growth. At present, the country's energy is 90% gasbased.
It is believed that the demand is likely to grow by almost 50% in the next 15 years,
and Bangladesh needs to increase the capacity to 8,000 MW by 2025, according to one estimate. With the increase of population to 254 million by 2050, according to a UN report, the demand for energy will naturally grow.
Several factors now favour nuclear energy, in both the developed and the developing worlds. One is that, whatever their attraction, renewable energy sources such as solar, wind and tidal waves are unlikely to meet the energy demands of Bangladesh's rapidly growing population. The renewable energy can be added to the national power grid.
The second major factor is the need to address climate change. The only realistic chance of slowing global warming is to drastically reduce carbon emissions. Nuclear energy, compared with coal and hydropower, is the safest and cleanest way of obtaining energy. And the fuel it uses, uranium, is more abundant than fossil fuels (coal, oil and gas).
A third factor is the evolution of nuclear technology itself. The technological advances and new reactor designs have reduced the likelihood of accidents. According to nuclear experts, third generation reactors, with an output of 1,000 MW, are simpler, smaller and more rugged, and reduce the possibility of a core meltdown
accident from a likelihood of 1 in 20,000 to 1 in 800,000 per reactor year. They are also standardised to reduce construction time.
Nuclear power plants are relatively expensive to build but inexpensive to operate. As of today, about 12,500 nuclear plants provide safe, clean and cheap energy in about 32 countries. France uses nuclear power to generate 77% of its electricity, and Russia generates 20% of its total energy requirements.
More than 35 nuclear power plants are currently under construction around the world, 24 of them in Asia — including in China and in India. Russia has been involved in building nuclear reactors in India (recently signed an agreement to build four new nuclear reactors) China and Iran, among other countries.
It is reported that 30% of Bangladesh's power grid has been built by Russia, and that Russia has offered its assistance to help build Bangladesh's nuclear reactor. Bangladesh reportedly requested the Russian Federation to assist in establishing two nuclear reactors with a capacity of 1,000 MW each.
Bangladesh's Atomic Energy Commission and Russia's Rosatom signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in 2009 to pave the way for setting up nuclear power plants in Bangladesh. On October 21, 2009, the Bangladesh government signed a protocol with Russia's Rosatom on cooperation in peaceful use of nuclear energy.
On May 21 2010, State Minister of Bangladesh for Science and ICT Yeafesh Osman and Sergey Kriyenko, Director General, Rosatom, signed the agreement. Both Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dr. Dipu
Moni and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov witnessed the signing ceremony.
The framework agreement details future cooperation between the two countries, and includes:
• Design, construction and operation of nuclear power and research reactors.
• Nuclear fuel supply, taking back of the spent nuclear fuel, and nuclear waste management.
• Assistance in setting up of a national regulatory authority in Bangladesh.
• Personnel training and capacity building for operation and maintenance of plants.
• Research, education and training of personnel in the Russian Federation in the use of nuclear energy, development of innovative reactor technologies in accordance with IAEA safety requirements, non-proliferation of nuclear weapons and environmental protection.
• Exploration and mining of uranium and thorium deposits.
The parties, according to the agreement, shall establish a joint coordination committee to monitor the implementation process of this agreement. The parties shall assure the transfer of materials, technologies, equipment and services for implementation of joint programs in the use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.
Any energy plant has a long gestation period. There is no quick fix to the problem. It is good to note that the roadmap for nuclear energy is set for Bangladesh with Russian cooperation.
Barrister Harun ur Rashid is a former Bangladesh Ambassador to the UN, Geneva.