IAEA Completes International Physical Protection Advisory Service Mission in Bangladesh

The IPPAS team visited the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant. (Credit: Nuclear Power Plant Company Bangladesh Limited)

An International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) team of experts has concluded a 12-day International Physical Protection Advisory Service (IPPAS) mission in Bangladesh.

The IPPAS mission - which took place from 30 November to 11 December - was hosted by the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority (BAERA). The eight-person mission team reviewed Bangladesh's nuclear security regime for nuclear materials and facilities, including transport, as well as information and computer security.

As part of the review, the IPPAS team visited the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (NPP), currently under construction approximately 160 kilometres northwest of Dhaka, Bangladesh's capital city. At the country's first nuclear power plant, the two VVER-1200 reactor units at Rooppur are expected to contribute a total of 2400 MW(e) to Bangladesh's energy grid when they come into commercial operation in 2026 and 2027. The team also visited the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC) TRIGA MARK-II Research Reactor, Atomic Energy Research Establishment (AERE), used for research in the area of physics, biology and engineering.

This is the second time Bangladesh has requested an IPPAS mission, with the first being in 2009. Bangladesh is Party to the Convention on Physical Protection of Nuclear Material (CPPNM) and its Amendment, and has expressed its political commitment to the Code of Conduct on the Safety and Security of Radioactive Sources.

The IPPAS team was led by Richard Peake, Superintending Inspector for Nuclear Security in the United Kingdom's Office for Nuclear Regulation, and included experts from Australia, Czech Republic, France, Kingdom of Netherlands, Russian Federation, and the United States, as well as one IAEA staff member.

The team held discussions with officials from the Ministry of Science and Technology, BAERA, AERE, BAEC, the Nuclear Security and Physical Protection System Cell, and the Nuclear Power Plant Company Bangladesh Limited.

The team noted a strong commitment and openness by the national agencies and operators to pursue a robust nuclear security regime. It was also acknowledged that aspects of the current regulatory framework are in early stages of implementation, while efforts in building national nuclear capacities are essential to ensure sustainability of the workforce for nuclear security.

Additionally, the team identified good practices that could serve as valuable examples for other IAEA Member States, contributing to long-term improvements in global nuclear security.

"The experts visited the country's critical nuclear infrastructure and witnessed the national stakeholders' commitment in improving their nuclear security," said Elena Buglova, Director of the IAEA's Division of Nuclear Security. "The IPPAS mission findings will help Bangladesh to further enhance its nuclear security."

"The IPPAS experts' recommendations and suggestions are of utmost importance and need to be taken into full consideration," said Mahmudul Hasan, Chairman of the BAERA and Dr. Satyajit Ghose, NuRID Project Director of BAERA. "We believe that the results of the IPPAS mission will be extremely valuable in enhancing and strengthening the country's nuclear security regime. Based on the mission's review findings, we will continue to improve our nuclear security measures in cooperation with the relevant ministries and agencies."

Background

The mission was the 110th IPPAS mission conducted by the IAEA since the programme began in 1995.

IPPAS missions are intended to assist States in strengthening their national nuclear security regime. The missions provide peer advice on implementing international instruments, along with IAEA guidance on the protection of nuclear and other radioactive material and associated facilities.

During missions, a team of international experts observes a nation's system of physical protection, compares it with relevant IAEA nuclear security guidance and international good practices and makes recommendations for improvement. IPPAS missions are conducted both on a nationwide and facility-specific basis.