The country's first nuclear power plant is becoming more visible with each passing day. It is expected that the installation work of the reactor will start by next June, said officials. Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP) is being constructed in Rooppur of Pabna district by a subsidiary of Russia's State Atomic Energy Corporation, Rosatom with Indian collaboration. The Power Plant will have two units, each of 1200 MW capacity, with latest generation 3+ VVER 1200 reactor.
It is high on the Bangladesh government's agenda, all the way up to the Prime Ministers Office. The government believes that the first unit will start generation by 2023, and the second unit will be launched by 2024. A top official of the project said, we hope the reactor installation work will be started by next June. After completion, around 50 percent work will be done. Currently, around 20 percent work has been completed. We believe that the project will be completed timely.
According to a Rosatom official, with many of the construction parts standing, the mega project is now visible to a great extent. Manufacture of its various machinery and equipment is running in full swing in Russia. Some of them have already reached Bangladesh, some have been shipped and others are still in the manufacturing process.
The Rosatom official said that the lower semi-vessel of the Reactor Pressure Vessel (RPV) of Unit 1 has been assembled at the Volgodonsk Branch of AEM-technology under Atommash. The company is a part of Engineering Division of Rosatom Atomenergomash. The Reactor represents a vertical cylindrical body with elliptic bottom with the core and other equipment inside it. In the upper part of the vessel there are nozzles for coolant supply and removal, and also nozzles for emergency coolant supply in case of circuit depressurization.
On the other hand, ZiO-Podolsk, another division of Atomenergomash has manufactured and shipped from Russia the first lot of the turbine hall equipment Moisture Separator-Reheaters for the Rooppur project. Total weight of the shipped products is 211 tons. The Moisture Separator-Reheaters (MSR) are designed to dry and reheat the moist steam downstream the turbine high pressure cylinder. MSR is a vertical equipment consisting of three parts in one body. It is a part of the turbine plant steam regeneration system. Atomenergomash is the sole supplier of the entire equipment for Rooppur NPP Reactor Hall and a big part of the turbine hall equipment.
The design of Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant has been developed in such a way that it will not succumb to any accident natural or man-made. One of the main concerns of any nuclear power plant is its waste management. The Russian Federation will take back spent nuclear fuel of Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, and we have signed a deal in this regard with them, an official said.
In 2015-2016, preparatory work was carried out at the construction site, working documentation was developed and documents for licensing for construction were prepared. On November 4, 2017, the regulatory authority of Bangladesh (BAERA) issued required license for the design and construction of the plant.
On 2 October 2013, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina laid the first stone in the foundation of Rooppur NPP. The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) approved Construction of Rooppur NPP Project on 6 December 2016 at an estimated cost of Taka 1,13,092.91 crore.
Officials said the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant will bring about a comprehensive change in the country's economy, contributing more than two percent to GDP growth. Once the nuke plant goes into operation, it will offer a window of opportunity, such as ensuring uninterrupted electricity supply to over 15 lakh families, and jobs for a large number of people.
Moreover, every year 20-30 students will get the opportunity to pursue studies in nuclear science in Russia. That is apart from the fact that the plant will make special contributions to industrial development and scientific research. Above all, it will signal a release from the monopoly fuel of oil, gas and coal for power generation.