Special Spectrometers are to be used in the Automated Radiation Monitoring System (ARMS) of the country's first nuclear power plant project, also called Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant.
It will help to measure the level of ionizing radiation for assessing the safety of production lines, research facilities, and dosimetry control of the public, according to project officials.
The power plant is being implemented by a subsidiary of Russia’s State Atomic Energy Corporation, Rosatom. It is a top priority project on the Bangladesh government’s agenda, all the way up to the Prime Minister’s Office. Total capacity of the plant is estimated to be 2,400 MW.
The government believes that the first unit will start generation by 2023, and the second unit will be launched by 2024.
According to Rosatom, Institute for Physical and Technical Problems (IPTP) will manufacture and supply 16 sets of spectrometry equipment to Specialized Scientific Research Institute for Instrumentation Engineering (SNIIP) by the end of this year. Both the organizations under the management of Rusatom Automated Control Systems (RASU) of Russia signed a contract to this effect recently.
Later on, SNIPP will integrate the equipment into ARMS for delivery to the Bangladesh side in the third quarter of 2023.
Spectrometers are used in industrial enterprises of the nuclear power industry, in mechanical engineering, mining, healthcare, and research laboratories.
The design of Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant has been developed in such a way that it will not succumb to any accident, natural or man-made. One of the main concerns of any nuclear power plant is its waste management.
The Russian Federation will take back spent nuclear fuel from Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, and we have signed a deal in this regard with them, an official said.
Officials said the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant will bring about a comprehensive change in the country's economy, contributing more than two percent to GDP growth.
Once the nuke plant goes into operation, it will offer a window of opportunity, such as ensuring uninterrupted electricity supply to over 15 lakh families, and jobs for a large number of people.
That is apart from the fact that the plant will make special contributions to industrial development and scientific research. Above all, it will signal a release from the monopoly fuel of oil, gas and coal for power generation.
At present, the average cost of generating electricity per unit in oil-based power plants in the country is Taka 15 to 20. But the power generation cost of the Rooppur nuclear power plant will be at Taka 3 to 3.50 per unit.
Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant is planned and being constructed according to Russian design. The plant will have two power units with the latest generation 3+ VVER 1,200 reactor, which will fully meet all international safety requirements. The lifespan of the reactors are 60 years, which can be extended for another 20 years if necessary.
