CaPtAiN_pLaNeT
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Monday, April 2, 2012
OP-ED
Russian professors for nuclear 101?
http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=228581
Abdul Matin
Bangladesh has agreed to the first ever nuclear deal with Russia, which is to be built at Rooppur. Several memoranda of understanding have been signed between Bangladesh and Russia over the last three years for building the two VVER-1000 type nuclear reactors, with technical and financial assistance from Russia.
The state minister for science and technology had given both some good and bad news on the Rooppur Nuclear Power Project after he had returned from Moscow (DS, March 17). Talking to The Daily Star he said that Russia would provide 85% of the fund required to build the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant as state loan on soft terms. He further stated that Bangladeshi students would get scholarships to study nuclear science and technology at a specialised university in Russia.
This is the good news. The bad news is that teachers from Russian University will visit Bangladesh to teach nuclear courses at Dhaka University (DU) and Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET). Foreign academics are welcome if they come for collaboration in research or teaching advanced courses in which we have no expertise, and similarly our scientists and engineers can also go abroad for higher studies or for specialised training programmes. There is nothing wrong in it but why should we need Russian professors to teach basic courses in nuclear science and technology in universities here?
In late 1960s, Bangladeshi engineers built and operated the Karachi Nuclear Power Plant (KANUPP). The project manager, the deputy plant superintendent, several shift supervisors and plant operators of KANUPP were all from Bangladesh. According to a survey by the Times in mid 1970's, Bangladesh, along with few other countries, was considered to possess the potential to develop nuclear weapons.
Some Bangladeshi nuclear engineers, settled in Canada, had the expertise to built and commission nuclear power reactors in Argentina, South Korea and Romania. Many Bangladeshi nuclear scientists and engineers also held vital and renowned positions at the headquarters of the International Atomic Energy in Vienna.
Nuclear scientists and engineers from Bangladesh are also known to have taught nuclear science and technology-based courses at universities in Saudi Arabia and Libya. Several nuclear experts from Bangladesh helped Iran to build its nuclear infrastructures during the initial days of its nuclear power programme.
If this was the situation just decades ago, why should we suddenly need Russian professors to teach basic nuclear courses now? Are we moving forward or backward as a nation? What did the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC) achieve during the last forty years if it is unable to train its own scientists and engineers? One of the purposes of building the research reactor at the Atomic Energy Research Establishment (AERE) at Savar was to train local engineers and technicians. Has it served this purpose?
Both India and Pakistan has built in-house facilities to train their nuclear scientists and engineers. Why haven't we built similar facilities? Why are we incapable of offering basic courses in nuclear science and engineering?
Since the initial stages of negotiations with Russia in 2009, all the senior retired nuclear engineers of BAEC have been stressing the importance of recruitment and training of nuclear engineers and technicians, but very little attention has been paid to their suggestions. What have we achieved during this period except signing several MoUs and sending high level delegations to Moscow?
According to the recent proposal to buildinf the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant on build-own-operate-transfer (BOOT) basis (DS February 20), Russia will "run the power plant in the initial years to enable a local workforce develop its skills and takeover the operations." It shows that BAEC does not have enough confidence in training engineers and technicians in next eight years or so to takeover the responsibility operating the plant after its completion. If this concept is followed, who will operate of the plant and ensure its safety if, God forbids, all the Russian operators suddenly leave Bangladesh due to any civil disturbances in the country before our team is ready to takeover?
It has been pointed out several times that the BAEC lacks senior engineers with experience of dealing with nuclear power reactor vendors. It also doesn't have sufficient autonomy to take its own decisions independently. It has been operating under full administrative control of the ministry, who takes most of the decisions regarding the Rooppur Nuclear Power Project. It is thus possible that the minister is being wrongly advised on Rooppur.
People in general are worried about the safety of nuclear power plants. Without trained manpower, BAEC cannot ensure the safety of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant.
If India and Pakistan can build and operate nuclear power plants, there is no reason we should fail to do so. We can pull our resources, if necessary, to train the new recruits. The research reactor and other laboratories at AERE Savar will provide excellent facilities for practical training.
BAEC should also allow lateral entry of senior engineers with experience of construction and operation of conventional power plants and large industrial complexes. If we were able to build a strong team of nuclear experts during the 1960s, there is no reason why we can't do it now! And it is very possible to do so without the invitation of foreign instructors.
There is one more important issue. Most of the engineers trained during the pre-liberation period left the BAEC during 1970s for better opportunities outside. The BAEC also trained dozens of engineers at its research reactor at Savar but could not retain them for the same reason. Unless there is any improvement in the service conditions of BAEC, it is likely that some of the newly trained engineers will also leave the commission.
It is, therefore, essential to offer attractive and competitive salaries and incentives to the nuclear engineers and scientists of the commission in order to retain them in their jobs. Large scale exodus of trained manpower may cause serious problems in plant operation.
In addition, it is necessary to reorganise and strengthen BAEC with people conversant with nuclear power. BAEC should also be allowed more autonomy. The division of atomic energy should be placed directly under the prime minister like in India and Pakistan. The chairman of BAEC should be made the ex-officio secretary of the division like in India in order to accelerate the implementation of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Project.
These are just some of the measures which can help to develop a firm base for the introduction of nuclear power in Bangladesh.
The writer is a former Chief Engineer of Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission.
OP-ED
Russian professors for nuclear 101?
http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=228581
Abdul Matin
Bangladesh has agreed to the first ever nuclear deal with Russia, which is to be built at Rooppur. Several memoranda of understanding have been signed between Bangladesh and Russia over the last three years for building the two VVER-1000 type nuclear reactors, with technical and financial assistance from Russia.
The state minister for science and technology had given both some good and bad news on the Rooppur Nuclear Power Project after he had returned from Moscow (DS, March 17). Talking to The Daily Star he said that Russia would provide 85% of the fund required to build the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant as state loan on soft terms. He further stated that Bangladeshi students would get scholarships to study nuclear science and technology at a specialised university in Russia.
This is the good news. The bad news is that teachers from Russian University will visit Bangladesh to teach nuclear courses at Dhaka University (DU) and Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET). Foreign academics are welcome if they come for collaboration in research or teaching advanced courses in which we have no expertise, and similarly our scientists and engineers can also go abroad for higher studies or for specialised training programmes. There is nothing wrong in it but why should we need Russian professors to teach basic courses in nuclear science and technology in universities here?
In late 1960s, Bangladeshi engineers built and operated the Karachi Nuclear Power Plant (KANUPP). The project manager, the deputy plant superintendent, several shift supervisors and plant operators of KANUPP were all from Bangladesh. According to a survey by the Times in mid 1970's, Bangladesh, along with few other countries, was considered to possess the potential to develop nuclear weapons.
Some Bangladeshi nuclear engineers, settled in Canada, had the expertise to built and commission nuclear power reactors in Argentina, South Korea and Romania. Many Bangladeshi nuclear scientists and engineers also held vital and renowned positions at the headquarters of the International Atomic Energy in Vienna.
Nuclear scientists and engineers from Bangladesh are also known to have taught nuclear science and technology-based courses at universities in Saudi Arabia and Libya. Several nuclear experts from Bangladesh helped Iran to build its nuclear infrastructures during the initial days of its nuclear power programme.
If this was the situation just decades ago, why should we suddenly need Russian professors to teach basic nuclear courses now? Are we moving forward or backward as a nation? What did the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC) achieve during the last forty years if it is unable to train its own scientists and engineers? One of the purposes of building the research reactor at the Atomic Energy Research Establishment (AERE) at Savar was to train local engineers and technicians. Has it served this purpose?
Both India and Pakistan has built in-house facilities to train their nuclear scientists and engineers. Why haven't we built similar facilities? Why are we incapable of offering basic courses in nuclear science and engineering?
Since the initial stages of negotiations with Russia in 2009, all the senior retired nuclear engineers of BAEC have been stressing the importance of recruitment and training of nuclear engineers and technicians, but very little attention has been paid to their suggestions. What have we achieved during this period except signing several MoUs and sending high level delegations to Moscow?
According to the recent proposal to buildinf the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant on build-own-operate-transfer (BOOT) basis (DS February 20), Russia will "run the power plant in the initial years to enable a local workforce develop its skills and takeover the operations." It shows that BAEC does not have enough confidence in training engineers and technicians in next eight years or so to takeover the responsibility operating the plant after its completion. If this concept is followed, who will operate of the plant and ensure its safety if, God forbids, all the Russian operators suddenly leave Bangladesh due to any civil disturbances in the country before our team is ready to takeover?
It has been pointed out several times that the BAEC lacks senior engineers with experience of dealing with nuclear power reactor vendors. It also doesn't have sufficient autonomy to take its own decisions independently. It has been operating under full administrative control of the ministry, who takes most of the decisions regarding the Rooppur Nuclear Power Project. It is thus possible that the minister is being wrongly advised on Rooppur.
People in general are worried about the safety of nuclear power plants. Without trained manpower, BAEC cannot ensure the safety of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant.
If India and Pakistan can build and operate nuclear power plants, there is no reason we should fail to do so. We can pull our resources, if necessary, to train the new recruits. The research reactor and other laboratories at AERE Savar will provide excellent facilities for practical training.
BAEC should also allow lateral entry of senior engineers with experience of construction and operation of conventional power plants and large industrial complexes. If we were able to build a strong team of nuclear experts during the 1960s, there is no reason why we can't do it now! And it is very possible to do so without the invitation of foreign instructors.
There is one more important issue. Most of the engineers trained during the pre-liberation period left the BAEC during 1970s for better opportunities outside. The BAEC also trained dozens of engineers at its research reactor at Savar but could not retain them for the same reason. Unless there is any improvement in the service conditions of BAEC, it is likely that some of the newly trained engineers will also leave the commission.
It is, therefore, essential to offer attractive and competitive salaries and incentives to the nuclear engineers and scientists of the commission in order to retain them in their jobs. Large scale exodus of trained manpower may cause serious problems in plant operation.
In addition, it is necessary to reorganise and strengthen BAEC with people conversant with nuclear power. BAEC should also be allowed more autonomy. The division of atomic energy should be placed directly under the prime minister like in India and Pakistan. The chairman of BAEC should be made the ex-officio secretary of the division like in India in order to accelerate the implementation of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Project.
These are just some of the measures which can help to develop a firm base for the introduction of nuclear power in Bangladesh.
The writer is a former Chief Engineer of Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission.
....the cut off of to go to nuclear engineering from high school to university was 84%, i had higher....its just our universities don't have the toys to host a nuclear engineering program, they even have a nuclear reactor for kids to practice on
....but throwing them in camps is more more of a radical thought than the idelogies of BAL and BNP.
Jealous Indian at Bangladesh's achievements.....and trolling er!
