Rooppur nuclear plant commissioning faces uncertainty over PORV failure

The commissioning of Bangladesh’s largest power project, the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP), could face an indefinite delay due to a technical problem with a pilot-operated relief valve (PORV) in Unit 1, Science and Technology Minister Fakir Mahbub Anam Faqir said on Thursday.

Speaking at a media briefing at ICT Bhaban, the minister said the PORV of Unit 1 was not operating and that the authorities had two options replace the valve or ask the Russian engineering contractor to manufacture a new one. “Honestly and frankly speaking, we have nothing to hide,” he said, adding that the problem must be resolved before the unit can be made operational.

Tests on the Unit 1 pressuriser PORV have failed several times over a period of five weeks. The manufacturer’s chief designer is reportedly at the Rooppur site working to resolve the problem. Russian engineering contractor JSC ASE is also expected to visit Dhaka soon to inspect the situation, after which the two sides will discuss the next course of action.

Officials said JSC ASE, a unit of Russia’s state-owned nuclear energy corporation Rosatom, has informed Bangladeshi officials that resolving the problem is technically complex. The valve is a plant-specific component and cannot simply be purchased and replaced on the commercial market.

A senior official of the Ministry of Science and Technology said Ukraine was previously a major producer of the PORV but stopped supplying it to Rosatom following Russia’s invasion. Turkey has recently started manufacturing the component, although obtaining it could take time after an order is placed. Germany also produces the valve, but its cost is reportedly high.

The original estimated cost of the Rooppur project was about Tk 1.131 trillion, while the revised estimate has risen to approximately Tk 1.387 trillion.

Russian officials said the valve was unique to the reactor design and that bringing additional Russian designers would not necessarily produce a different result. With no suitable replacement available commercially, they said one option was to readjust the existing equipment.

The Ministry has also informed the Russian ambassador about the issue. He stressed that the equipment was designed to operate for 50 to 60 years and that its structural strength, durability and capacity would need to be verified to ensure reliable long-term operation.

The technical difficulties have also raised concerns about the timetable for Unit 2. Officials said any further delay to Unit 1 could have a knock-on effect on Unit 2, which is already behind schedule.

JSC ASE has proposed transferring a PORV from Unit 2 to Unit 1 in an effort to commission Bangladesh’s first nuclear reactor, according to officials. The latest concern follows repeated failures involving the PORV on the reactor’s pressuriser, a critical safety component designed to help control excessive pressure in the primary cooling system.

The PORV problem is not the only issue facing the project. Of the 58 facilities associated with Unit 1, 47 have been handed over, according to officials. Under the government plan, Unit 1 was scheduled for commissioning in December 2026.

Under the previous schedule, Unit 2 was expected to be ready for nuclear fuel loading in April 2027. Before fuel loading can begin, a series of tests and inspections must be completed as part of the commissioning process.

The project director also raised concerns that several pieces of equipment originally associated with Unit 1 had been used for Unit 2, including spare equipment, and had not yet been replenished. Those items will now have to be supplied, installed and commissioned.

Under the general contract, Unit 2 is due to be provisionally handed over to Bangladesh by December 2027.

Russian officials said experienced specialists were already working at the site and that they were assessing whether additional personnel were required. A charter flight could be arranged to bring in further experts, particularly to accelerate outstanding ventilation and air-conditioning work on Unit 1 and preparations for Unit 2.

The two sides agreed to maintain close coordination at senior technical and management levels. A further virtual meeting was also proposed after the Russian side completed its technical assessment.

The Rooppur project, being built by Russia under a government-to-government arrangement, is intended to provide Bangladesh with a major new source of low-carbon electricity. However, the latest technical difficulties have added to concerns over the schedule for the country’s long-awaited entry into nuclear power.

-HIS