American International University- Bangladesh (AIUB)

Faculty of Engineering (EEE)

Subject: Engineering Ethics

Course Name: Engineering Ethics Course Code: EEE 3107

Semester: Fall 2020 Submission Date: 20.10.2020
Item: Performance 1

Chowdhury Muhammad Mahatab

Student Name: Student ID: 17-35063-2
Uddin
Department:
CSE Section: G

Case Study:

Bangladesh started construction of its first nuclear power reactor, Rooppur 1, in November 2017. The unit is
scheduled to be commissioned in 2023. The Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant will be a 2.4 GWe nuclear power
plant in Bangladesh. The nuclear power plant is being constructed at Rooppur, adjoining Paksey, in the
Ishwardi Upazila of Pabna District, on the bank of the river Padma, 87 miles west of Dhaka, in the northwest of
the country. The country has a rapidly increasing power demand and is aiming to reduce its dependence on
natural gas.

The ethical issues of nuclear energy focus on the comparison between the of benefits and the hazards of nuclear
power, the catastrophic impact of nuclear accidents, fact disclosure, and safety regulations and violations. These
issues have a great effect on global.

Briefly discuss the above case on “Moral Choices and Ethical Dilemmas” by identifying the relevant
moral values and key concepts of it. Also, provide the options in resolving the Ethical Dilemma
mentioned in the case and make a reasonable decision by weighing all the relevant moral reasons and
facts.
 Engineering Ethics

This case is about Nuclear power reactor of Bangladesh.Which is located at Rooppur, adjoining Paksey, in the
Ishwardi Upazila of Pabna District, on the bank of the river Padma, 87 miles west of Dhaka. There are many
advantages and disadvantages of nuclear power plant.
Advantages:
 If we build a nuclear power plant in our country we will able to full fill the demand of electricity of our
country
 We will sell electricity to our neighbor country.
 If we have more electricity then we produce more mills and factory which will help our economy.
Disadvantages:
 The gas which will produced by nuclear power plant that will harm people.
 Nuclear accident take lot of peoples lives.
 The waste of nuclear plant pollute water.
 It will harm many animal of shundarban.
 The radiation will damage our body.

Our country is mostly dense populated country. A lot of people live in a mile.Bangladesh started a construction
of its first nuclear power plant. There are many advantages and disadvantages. But disadvantages are
huge.Though we will able to produce a lot of electricity but there are many problem to produce it. It will
produce a lot of harmful gas which will pollute our environment. There are safety concern if the plant is not
operated correctly or conditions arise that were unforeseen when the plant was developed as happened at
the Fukushima plant in Japan; the core melted down following an earthquake and tsunami. A huge amount of
water will be needed which will increase cost price. To run a 1000 MW NPP, 185 MW electricity is needed
which is one-fifth of its energy production. Then environmental issue comes forward, although it will emit
lower carbon-di-oxide, it has many environmental risks such as radioactive waste storage and disposal and
possible leakage into ground water can make Chernobyl alive. And at last nuclear accidents, we can fear.
Because of hundreds of accidents occurred after inception of nuclear reactor in 1954. Serious accidents
included three miles island 1979, Chernobyl 1986 and Fukushima 2011. [1]

When every developed country like Germany, Finland, Switzerland and Japan, after Fukushima, are going to
stop nuclear power plant, but Bangladesh is going to take this worst step without thinking about dense
population ,environment , water resource and misusing of huge amount of money. There are many
alternatives such as solar, wind, geothermal, hydro electronics. Other sources can be used in small scale. But
solar power is less costly than the others and it has better prospect in Bangladesh. Bangladesh government
announced Bangladesh as ‘solar nation’, when they are verily inclined to invest in nuclear rather than solar.
Now solar energy is going to be cheaper than another time in contrast with nuclear .[1]On the other hand, we
will try to reduce the producing of gas. We have to use latest technology for reduce the radiation and we have
to transport the nearest people of power plant to another place.
 Engineering Ethics

I think though the nuclear power plant is already build so it is wise decision to transport the nearest people to
another safe place. So they can not harm by radiation.

Reference:
1. http://perspectivebd.com/archives/1294#:~:text=Then%20environmental%20issue%20comes
%20forward,nuclear%20accidents%2C%20we%20can%20fear.