Home ›› 11 Nov 2022 ›› Editorial
Bangladesh, as a country, is facing an urban energy crisis distinguished by power shortages and skyrocketing gas prices and a rural energy crisis is reflected in the increasing inability of the poor people of the villages to have access even to low-valued traditional biomass.
To overcome these crises, over the last several years, the Bangladesh government has undertaken various projects like Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP) to increase the generation of electricity to cope with the rapid increases in demand. We believe that the nuclear power plant could be hugely beneficial for country in general and the northern districts in particular.
RNPP will help us to secure a sufficient supply of electricity to derive the desired level of economic growth for socio-economic development and thus improving the basic livelihoods of the urban and rural populations of our nation.
Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant is the first nuclear power plant in Bangladesh, and in terms of expense, it’s the biggest mega project in the country’s history. The two under-construction units of this nuclear power plant at Rooppur, Ishwardi Upazila of Pabna, will be able to produce a total of 2400 megawatts of electricity daily. According to project authorities, Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant will contribute 10 per cent of the country’s total electricity generation by 2030.
Besides, this power plant will play a vital role in reducing the unit cost of electricity production in the country as well as reducing the dependence on fossil fuels like gas-oil-coal for power production, which will simultaneously protect the country’s natural resources, and enhance Bangladesh’s energy security and prevent environmental pollution associated with fossil fuels.
A recent report published in this newspaper revealed that it is expected to bring about a positive change in the economy of the northern region.
On October 19, 2022, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the installation ceremony of the RNPP Unit-2 Reactor Pressure Vessel said the people of the northern region and its economy would reap the benefit of cheap nuclear electricity.
The question how the RNPP alone can contribute to elevating the poorest northern economy has still remained unanswered.
The government has a plan to construct 100 economic zones to become a developed country by 2041 and only 11 will be in nine northern districts.
RNPP will only ensure cheap and uninterrupted power supply to those economic zones.
According to BEZA, along with RNPP two Export Processing Zones (EPZ) including Ishawardi, Pabna and Uttara in Nilphamari the northern region will have a mixed economy with light and agro industry in the export processing zone and economic zone.
It has been providing employment opportunities for locals and revenues from taxes which will help to support a healthy economy.
The most visible impact of this infrastructure development boom on the economic activity can be perhaps assessed at the local level, in Ishwardi. The project has led to direct employment of close to 14,000 Bangladeshi workers, as per local media reports. In addition, there are more than 3000 foreign nationals working at the project.
This addition is particularly crucial for sustaining and expanding the industrial base in and around Pabna which has around 170 heavy, medium and light industries in the zone making Pabna one of the most industrialized cities of Bangladesh. This capacity building of the power production is also complemented by the government’s much needed efforts to modernize the grid infrastructure for electricity distribution which will ensure efficiency in the distribution network.
Suffice it to say that the RNPP’s benefits are not limited to contributing to meeting Bangladesh’s energy demands, it will create manufacturing capabilities, infrastructural development. The project has all the potential become a focal point of the new-age of industrialization of the country which will pave the way for sustained economic development.
