Country's first ever nuclear power project, Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP) is set to go into operation from next year, Russian State Atomic Energy Corporation, Rosatom said.
"We have completed necessary tasks of Unit-1 of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (NPP), we are ready to start its operation from next year," Andrey Petrov, First Deputy Director General for Nuclear Energy of State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom, and President of ASE said in a statement on Sunday.
Rooppur Nuclear Plant is being implemented with financial and technological support from Russia. The plant hosts two power units each of 1,200 MW capacities. The latest generation 3+ Russian VVER 1,200 has been chosen for the project that fulfills all international safety requirements. Rosatom Engineering Division is the general designer and contractor of the Rooppur NPP.
Rooppur NPP is expected to meet about 10 percent of the total energy demand of Bangladesh.
"From the very beginning of this project, Rosatom, together with the Russian Embassy in Dhaka, has been carrying out significant work aimed at raising awareness among the local population about this project. Bangladeshi people now understand the importance of this project for the country," Russian Ambassador to Bangladesh Alexander Khozin said.
However, Rosatom hailed 2024 as a successful year in Bangladesh, marking the completion of construction and installation for one of Rooppur NPP's power units, which is set to start next year. The second power unit of the country's maiden nuclear power plant has also achieved significant progress in construction and installation.
"We have entered the final stage in terms of preparation of Rooppur NPP Unit 1 for the physical start-up. This is an important stage, under which we must carry out a large scope of works and tests to prove the operability of the process systems in all the operating modes," Andrey Petrov said.
Mentioning the process step by step, the Rosatom statement has said, earlier in September dummy fuel assemblies were loaded into the reactor pressure vessel of unit-1 paving the way for the loading of real nuclear fuel assemblies. During the same month, diesel generators underwent cold runs.
These diesel generators act as standby suppliers of power for equipment when the reactor needs to be stopped for any reason.
In October the reactor assembly process was completed and got prepared for the key test to ensure the efficient operation of the unit. In November the first ignition of the start-up standby boiler room took place to supply technological steam.
On December 18, the works began to bring the reactor plant to the rated parameters and to conduct tests without nuclear fuel. Large-scale tests are being conducted to confirm the process system in all operating modes.
For power unit-2, concreting of the outer containment was completed ahead of schedule. A passive heat removal system deflector was installed. Other construction and installation works are underway to prepare the unit for commissioning and start-up.
Both the units have received automated radiation monitoring systems (ARMS), developed especially for the Rooppur project to meet its specific requirements, it reads.
During the year Rosatom continued its support in providing special education to Bangladeshi students and training Bangladeshi specialists of Rooppur NPP at Rosatom Technical Academy in Russia.
Rosatom is a major player in the field of international atomic energy. It is considered a global leader in terms of the number of nuclear power plant constructions worldwide.
Rosatom is now implementing 22 nuclear power units in 7 countries, including Bangladesh. The company today is executing an export order of 39 small-capacity reactors from 10 countries, said Rosatom.
