RNPP commissioning uncertain: Minister

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

“Honestly and frankly speaking, we have nothing to hide. I could not hide the information that the PORV of Unit 1 is not operating. We have two options �" either replace it or ask the Russian company to make a new PORV for the plant. Otherwise, we will not be able to make it operative,” he told a media briefing at ICT Bhaban.

Tests on the Unit 1 pressuriser PORV have failed several times over a period of five weeks. The manufacturer’s chief designer was reported to be at the Rooppur site working to resolve the problem.

The minister said Russian engineering contractor JSC ASE would visit Dhaka soon to inspect the equipment, after which the two sides would decide on the next course of action. An investigation has found that JSC ASE, part of Russia's state-owned nuclear energy corporation Rosatom, told Bangladeshi officials that resolving the problem was technically complex. The valve is a plant-specific component and cannot simply be purchased and replaced on the commercial market.

"Ukraine was the main producer of PORVs, but after the Russian invasion, it stopped supplying Rosatom. Turkey has recently started manufacturing the component, but it may take time after an order is placed. Germany also produces the PORV, but its cost is too high," a senior ministry official said.

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

The ministry has also informed the Russian ambassador about the issue. The minister 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 minister also acknowledged concerns over the timetable for Unit 2. Officials said any further delay to Unit 1 could have a knock-on effect on the second reactor, 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.
Other challenges

Of the 58 facilities associated with Unit 1, 47 have been handed over, according to officials. Under the government's 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.

The project director also raised concerns that several pieces of equipment originally associated with Unit 1, including spare equipment, had been used for Unit 2 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. They said 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 co-ordination at senior technical and management levels, with another virtual meeting proposed after the Russian side completes its technical assessment.