The Executive Committee of National Economic Council (ECNEC) today approved six projects, including Tk 3,449.05 crore Physical Protection System (PPS) Project for Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant.

The approval came at a meeting held at the NEC Conference Room in the ity’s Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area with Ecnec Chairperson and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.

While briefing reporters, Planning Minister MA Mannan said that total project cost, Tk 4,439.86 crore will come from the state exchequer while the rest of Taka 7.90 crore will come from the organization’s own fund.

The PPS project will look to address Design Basis Threat (DBT) and beyond as well as cybersecurity and will be wrapped up by March 2023.

This comes on the back of yet another project involving Tk 1,710 crore approved last week to monitor the security of the plant.

A DBT describes the capabilities of potential insider and external adversaries who might attempt unauthorised removal of nuclear and other radioactive material or sabotage. The operator’s physical protection system is designed and evaluated on the basis of the DBT.

Potential external adversaries include terrorists and other criminals who might seek to use nuclear or other radioactive material for malicious purposes, or to sabotage a facility.

Insiders are individuals with authorised access to facilities, activities or sensitive information who could commit malicious acts or help external adversaries to do so.

The issue of cybersecurity is also critical. Cyberattacks on nuclear power plants could have physical effects, especially if the network that runs the machines and software controlling the nuclear reactor are compromised.