Preparations are being made to start fuel (uranium) loading at Bangladesh's first nuclear power project, Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, on April 28 (Tuesday), calculating an important milestone towards the commissioning of the country's first nuclear power plant.
Secretary of the Ministry of Science and Technology Md. Anwar Hossain said on Friday afternoon disclosed the matter after discussing with all the concerned officials and Russian authorities. “We have finalized the date of the fuel loading ceremony on April 28 which is an important step before commissioning”.
He further said, “Initial power generation from the first unit can start within three months of the start of the process, i.e. by the end of July or the beginning of August. The initial target is to generate about 300 MW of power and the production will be gradually increased to reach full capacity by January 2027. The fuel (uranium) loading activities in the first unit of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant scheduled for April 7 were suspended due to non-obtainability of the license. Bangladesh Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority Chairman Mahmudul Hasan said, although the ministry decided to inaugurate on April 7, some critical issues came to the fore.
Time was given to resolve them. Now the position is good. Therefore, as we all agree on the fuel loading (commissioning) of the first unit, the license was issued on April 16.Dr. Zayedul Hasan, Managing Director of Nuclear Power Plant Company Bangladesh Limited, which is authorized to operate the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, said that 52 experts have successfully obtained licenses to operate the plant. They obtained these licenses by passing written, oral (viva) and simulation tests.
All concerned The tests were conducted in accordance with international standards. These tests were conducted by the Russian regulatory agency Rostekhnadzor, the internationally renowned Russian technical organization VO-Safety, experts from relevant universities and experts from the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority (BAERA).
The power plant will be operated by a combination of these 52 licensed experts and Russian licensed operators.” He said that after fuel loading, a final safety analysis report will be prepared by conducting tests in various stages. The commissioning stage will have to be completed through very strict and challenging tests.” If all the processes are successfully completed, the experimental power generation will start within three months, which will gradually reach full capacity. The entire process will take about 10 to 11 months to complete. The Managing Director also said that in the tests that have been taken in preparation for fuel loading, the operators of NPCBL have successfully demonstrated the ability to operate the power plant jointly with the Russian operators. He expressed hope that this success is an important milestone in the safe and efficient operation of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant.
The Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant is being considered a groundbreaking project in the power sector of Bangladesh, which he believes will play an important role in ensuring the country's energy security.In the context of the instability of the global energy market, energy experts believe that the commissioning of the plant will help reduce the long-standing power crisis and reduce dependence on expensive imported liquid fuels. Background: Two VVER-1200 reactors have been installed in this $12.65 billion project built on the banks of the Padma River in Ishwardi, Pabna, with financial and technical assistance from Russia. When the two units are commissioned, the plant will have a total It will generate 2,400 megawatts of electricity, meeting more than 10 percent of the country's total demand.
