Thursday, September 20, 2018

Opinion: Civil Nuclear Cooperation Between India, Russia And Bangladesh: Implications For Pakistan – OpEd

India signed a tripartite agreement for the first time with Russia and Bangladesh for civil nuclear cooperation on March 1, 2018. Nuclear Power Cooperation of India Limited (NPCIL) is intended to play an active role for the construction of a nuclear power plant with the proposed supply of equipment, being built by Russia in Bangladesh. Simultaneously, India would train Bangladesh’s nuclear scientists for the project.
The agreement was signed in Moscow by Deputy Director General of Rosatom (Russia’s Alex civil nuclear body) Nikolay Spassky, Ambassador of Bangladesh in Russia S.M. Saiful Hoque and Indian Ambassador to Russia Pankaj Saran. Furthermore, Rosatom will construct a nuclear power plant in Bangladesh on a contract basis and assist in design, production and supply of equipment, installation, pre-commissioning and commissioning, Rosatom officials said.
It has its unique combination of active and passive safety systems providing the maximum resistance against external and internal impact, including tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, and plane crash.
Earlier, India established its nuclear power plant station and operated the Kudankulam Plant built by Russia’s assistance and participated in the Russian project in Bangladesh. Indian companies may be involved in construction and installation works and the supply of material of non-critical category in this project, officials told Economic Times. “Today was a landmark event for both of our countries – and the industry as a whole.
We are confident that this is the first step toward the formation of a new, forward-looking cooperation agenda in the region,” Spassky said. This would be the first nuclear power plant in Bangladesh. India and Bangladesh have smooth trade ties and would be sharing good working experience with Russia in the field of civil nuclear energy.
This tripartite civil nuclear cooperation between Russia, India and Bangladesh would be the first occurrence where New Delhi will be involved in a civil nuclear project in Bangladesh. This demonstrates India’s entry into nuclear mainstreaming. At the same time, India is promoting its “Make in India” initiative in its proposal to Russia to make nuclear power reactors in India.
US global influence is relatively declining and other emerging powers such as Russia, India and China are pursuing their strategic interests globally and regionally. In this changing global international political environment, Pakistan is also seeking its partners other than the United States such as Russia and China. Pakistan’s policy makers must accommodate the country in regional developments through joint ventures with Russia, China and Bangladesh etc in order to avoid any of India’s policies to isolate it from the regional politics.
The Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant involves two units, each with a capacity of 1200 MW and is situated on the bank of Padma River. It will be based on VVER-1200 reactors of the 3+ generation technology which is the most powerful reactor in Russia.
Pakistan is an energy starving country; it should formulate its policies to attract Russia to civil nuclear cooperation. Russia is India’s traditional defence partner since the Cold War era. Last year in April, 2017, India announced a $4.5 billion line of credit for development projects in Bangladesh and another $500 million for defence hardware purchases for Dhaka in order to deepen political and strategic ties between the two countries, during Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to India.
Both countries have no steady and trusted relationship with Pakistan and their growing ties are giving an impression that they are deliberately isolating Pakistan from regional politics. Earlier, Indian Atomic Energy Commission chairman Sekhar Basu said at the 61st general conference of the global nuclear watchdog IAEA, “We are collaborating with our Russian and Bangladeshi partners on establishing Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant in Bangladesh, in Sep 2017 as India’s first atomic energy venture abroad. Now, this initiative has been signed formally.”
The Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant involves two units, each with a capacity of 1200 MW and is situated on the bank of Padma River. It will be based on VVER-1200 reactors of the 3+ generation technology which is the most powerful reactor in Russia. It has its unique combination of active and passive safety systems providing the maximum resistance against external and internal impact, including tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, and plane crash.
With active efforts underway, it will be interesting to see if Bangladesh and India are successful in isolating Pakistan in the region. Should Pakistan now focus its attention on improving ties with Russia?

1 comment:

samir sardana said...


N Power is the way for Pakistan.

In the event of any sea route or port blockage (of The Persian Gulf or Pakistan,per se),there is no fuel supply risk,as the Yellow Cake or the Fuel Rods can be imported from PRC (by air).dindooohindoo

The reactors can be imported from PRC,with the Fuel rods,and the DU can be used by the military ordinance factories,to make armour and ammunition.It gives an opportunity,to PRC to shuffle LEU stocks between PRC and Pakistan and IAEA safeguards.

The norm in The N-Reactor trade is that the capital asset is given on almost 100% loan,for a long period- as much as half the life of the reactors.

So the cash cost of the N-Power is almost Nil.There is NIL FX OUTFLOW and the LEU stocks can be enriched in Pakistan HWRs to create Nuke Fuel for N Subs - and the N Subs can also be purchased from PRC

For a USD starved and power starved nation (for industry),the cash cost of power is the relevant cost,and not the Total or Variable or Marginal Cost.

Once the reactor is critical,the power is peak load power,and surplus power can be used in pumped storage power plants.

After linking the industrial capacity to the power supply,the Pakistani govtt has to export the power in the form of metal products or any other application.

The incremental GDP earned from the N power will be at least 15-25 times the CASH COST OF THE N POWER,PER ANNUM.

This vast gap in the costing can be used to create a sinking fund for Disaster Insurance and Decommissioning Costs.

20% of Power capacity can easily be from N Power.