Govt takes responsibility of transporting nuclear fuel from Dhaka to Rooppur

It's a great risk, experts observe

Published : Tuesday, 1 August, 2023 at 12:00 AM

Shahnaj Begum

The government is going to bear all civil liability for nuclear damage instead of the plant operator of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP) during transportation of nuclear fuel from Dhaka airport to the plant site by road.

Officials said that for the Unit-1 and Unit-2 of the RNPP, the financial liability for any civil damage is equivalent to US$450 million.

"Transparent and openness' is the slogan of IAEA, International Atomic Energy Agency, however, RNPP project is just an opposite example of the slogan, however, no insurance policy is a great risk for this project as we don't know the future," former chairman of Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission Dr Zulquarnain said.

Echoing the same the former Energy Adviser Dr M Tamim has said, "It will be a great risk for the government, if there is any accident, we will have no way to take expert opinion and minimize any major damage, obviously from the financial loss."

He said if the government takes the responsibility then it should be very careful about the clauses of the agreement of the guaranty paper. We must know why the government is taking this decision. Is this happening as per wish of the operator of the plant or is it their own decision.

According to the International Conventions on Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage and National Regulatory Law, the operator or licensees are legally responsible for any kind of incidents at the stage of commissioning, operation, maintenance, and transportation of nuclear substances and fuel for nuclear facilities.

At the same time, the convention made it mandatory to arrange required funds to provide compensation for the damages in case of any accident.

Usually, the operator or licensees buy insurance policy for any kind of incidents at the stage of commissioning, operation, maintenance, and transportation of nuclear substances and fuel for nuclear facilities, an official said.

In addition, section-43 of the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Regulatory Act 2012 (BAER Act-2012) also said that the local and foreign operators are responsible for any kind of incidents linked to nuclear facilities.

It also said that the local and foreign operators have to buy a required insurance policy or ensure any other financial security to provide a required fund for paying compensation in case of any incident.

The BAER Act-2012 also mentioned that if the operator is unable to meet any civil damage linked financial demands, the government will ensure required funds for the payments.

To manage the compensation issue, the plant authority or the government has to create a financial coverage of a similar amount through buying insurance policy or arranging a state guarantee, he added.

Earlier, RNPP project director Dr Mohammad Shawkat Akbar told the media that there is an obligation for creation of such a fund according to the international convention.

Meanwhile, The Ministry of Science and Technology sought support from the Ministry of Finance in this regard.
In June, 2023, they sought the guarantee from the Ministry of Finance in this regard.

"Since the government itself is the owner of the RNPP, we requested the government to give the plant indemnity and take the liability by itself for any civil damage," Shawkat Akbar said.

He said, in Bangladesh, there is no insurance company that can give full coverage for nuclear liability.

"We want to buy insurance coverage when the plant goes to commercial operation and make money. Then paying a premium will be easier for the plant from its own earnings," he said.