Terrorists could use nuclear power plant material for ‘dirty bomb’

Terrorists could use nuclear power plant material for ‘dirty bomb’

Azzam Khan,
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Bangladesh’s entrance into the sector of nuclear energy started many, many years ago. In fact, the Rooppur nuclear power plant site was selected even before Bangladesh’s independence in 1971. Dr Petr Topychkanov, made this observation while speaking at a recent seminar in Dhaka.
The seminar, ‘Entering the World of Nuclear Energy: Key Security Issues for Bangladesh’, was organized at a city hotel on Wednesday, 22 February, by the Bangladesh Institute of Peace and Security Studies (BIPSS). Dr Petr Topychkanov, fellow at the Carnegie Moscow Centre’s Nonproliferation Program, made the keynote presentation, while BIPSS president Maj. Gen. ANM Muniruzzaman (retd) moderated the program.
Introducing the keynote speaker, Maj. Gen. Muniruzzaman said that the issue of nuclear energy was of particular pertinence as Bangladesh was making a leap forward in this critically important field.
Petr Topychkanov said that there was need for awareness about nuclear energy. Nuclear infrastructure was much more than just a nuclear power plant. It included nuclear fuel, nuclear energy, nuclear waste management and also certain vulnerabilities. There was the possibility of radioactive contamination affecting health and life in general, accidents, possibility of proliferation with nuclear knowhow going to the wrong hands and more.
However, he pointed out, international multilateral cooperation was an important factor in the field of nuclear energy. He cited the example of the nuclear cooperation deal signed between Moscow and Tehran.
Concerning the threat of nuclear terrorism, he said that this involved not just the materials, but the technology as well. It was imperative to have a rapid response group in place to act immediately upon any possible threat.
The threat could be in a 9/11 styled attack where a plane could be hijacked and directed to the nuclear facility. There could be an operation attempting to get access to nuclear material.
There have been nuclear disasters in the past, said Dr Topychkanov, including the 1957 Windscale nuclear accident in the UK, the Mayak nuclear disaster the same year in USSR, the Saint Laurent nuclear power plant disaster in France in 1964, the 1979 Three Mile Island Accident in the US, the Chernobyl disaster of 1986 and a few others.
There were economic risks associated with nuclear energy too as this form of energy had not yet become competitive with hydrocarbons. The technical equipment for nuclear facilities was costly. The cost of building nuclear power plants had also increased. Delays in implementing projects also pushed costs up.
Another question which arose in the sector was, who would be responsible in the case of any accidents? In 2010, India passed the Nuclear Liability Act in this regard. Russia and India created a pool for a budget in the case of any accident in the relevant nuclear power plant.
Listing key measures to enhance nuclear energy security, the Russian expert said these included development of nuclear fuel cycle centers, global remote monitoring of nuclear material, real-time computerized accounting and control systems in all declared areas of nuclear activity and quantitative analysis of proliferation risks, including categorising materials and technology.
The security measures also included analysis of the volume and flow of dangerous nuclear materials in circulation at all stages of the nuclear fuel cycle and collection of data on quantities of fissile material in storage facilities. The danger of terrorists using radioactive fission products to create a ‘dirty bomb’ needed to be taken into account.
Concluding the seminar after a lively question and answer session, Maj. Gen. Muniruzzaman said that nuclear energy was an issue that needed wider discussion and dissemination. It needed wide education of the people. One of the major concerns, he said, was the threat from non-state actors. There needed to be specialized forces and equipment to guard nuclear power plant facilities. Most importantly, he pointed out, the issue needed to be opened wide in the civil society before going ahead with the nuclear power plant project.

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