Russian team arrives soon to talk on spent fuel

Rooppur N'power plant
A high powered delegation from Russia comprising engineers and finance officials will arrive this month to discuss agreement signing on "taking back the spent fuel" of proposed Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant in Pabna, with Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC).
Earlier, Russia agreed to remove the spent fuel of the reactors and take back the highly radioactive rods once they have completed their 'life-cycle' to their country safely from proposed Rooppur nuclear power plant. However, they now want to sign an agreement on 'importing spent fuel from Bangladesh,' according to the sources in the Ministry of Science and Technology.
"At the meeting, we will fix up the modality of this agreement and the carrying cost of spent fuel will be discussed there," a senior official of BAEC told the Daily Observer on Monday.
Bangladesh is going to build a nuclear power plant, using Uranium 235 as the reactor fuel at the proposed plant. It is manufactured as small round fuel pellets, however, a single pellet is less than an inch long, but produces the energy equivalent to a tonne of coal.
The waste products of Uranium can become dangerous and fatal.
"The spent fuel will be taken back to Russia and the recycling will be done there. We will supply necessary fuel for the reactors during its life-term (60 years) and take back the spent fuel," Director (Nuclear and Radiation Safety) of Russian state-owned nuclear organization Rosatom, Raykov Sergey earlier told this correspondent during a visit to Moscow.
 It was said that Russia's environmental law has prohibited import of spent fuel or nuclear waste for storage or disposal in Russia. Recently it approved legislation allowing it to offer to import foreign spent fuel for storage, reprocessing, or even disposal in Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin signed the legislation in early July, 2001.
About the issue that the country has no institutional capacity to undertake a project like this and consequently safety standards will be seriously diminished, Sergey said "We assured Bangladesh of the safety of the plant. Rosatom has rightly asserted the responsibility of ensuring safety."
Asked how Bangladesh will overcome problems as it has no experience in nuclear waste disposal, Sergey said, Rosatom would take the responsibility of nuclear waste management taking away all the waste to Russia and help decommissioning of the nuclear power plant.
"Most of the materials to be used in the plant would be quality assured high grade components. Bangladesh has no technical expertise or skilled manpower to undertake such a project, but will face no problem," he added.
 In Bangladesh the main challenge is the temporary storage of the radioactive fuel rods after the end of their use and the transportation of the fuel rods to and from the plant, local scientists observed.
"We signed the general contract with Russia as it is the lone country that offered us that they will take back the spent fuel. Yes, there was a law in Russia that prohibited the import of spent fuel but now they have amended the law; moreover, Russian President V Putin told our Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina that they will take it back with proper care during the policy level meeting in Moscow," Minister for Science and Technology Yeafes Osman said.
"IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) will look into the issue, however, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina repeatedly said that safety issue should be addressed in proper manner, we are on that foot," the Minister said.
For several years, Russia's Ministry of Atomic Energy (MINATOM) has been seeking to amend the law to eliminate this prohibition, allowing it to pursue spent fuel storage contracts from foreign countries and spent fuel reprocessing contracts without requiring return of high-level wastes.
As per law three pieces of legislation have now been approved, accomplishing this change in the law. The first, an amendment to the environmental protection law, would eliminate the prohibition on importing spent fuel and nuclear waste. The second, an amendment to the atomic energy law, reportedly would establish procedures for fuel leasing operations, in which fresh fuel would be marketed to foreign customers with a commitment to take it back after irradiation. The third, a new law would regulate expenditures from funds generated by importing foreign spent fuel, reportedly requiring a substantial fraction to be spent on environmental cleanup programmes, the law said.
According to the inter-governmental agreement, Moscow will provide all assistance for construction, fuel supply, removal and management of spent fuel rods, formulation of legal and regulatory framework, infrastructure, and human resources development and financing, Minister for Science and Technology Yeafes Osman said.The government is set to ensure proper waste management mechanism at the first place since the nuclear waste is extremely detrimental to environment and human health, he said.
"During the deal for spent fuel, this subject will be included. So there is no reason to be worried," Minister for Science and Technology said.
"The government has given top priority to develop an appropriate nuclear infrastructure based on the IAEA Safety Standards and other relevant guidance as well as international good practices." he said.
He said Bangladesh Atomic Energy Regulatory Act, 2012 was promulgated to strengthen national nuclear regulatory infrastructure and ensure safe and secure application of nuclear technology.
 Bangladesh in this regard signed a deal with Russia on January 14, 2013 during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's visit to Moscow, for the extension of state export credit to finance the preparatory stage work of the nuclear power plant.
Bangladesh plans to "build a nuclear city" in Rooppur using Russian reactors designed with 'post-Fukushima' safety features. If the project does not match with the IAEA compliances then the authority will not allow us to implement it. Moreover, Prime Minister is personally overseeing the project so there is no point of worry, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Science and Technology Anwar Hossain said.