Nuclear power plant getting ready

Only three more years to go when Bangladesh will turn on the switch of its first ever nuclear power plant to generate electricity. As per schedule, in the year 2024, the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant is expected to be fully functional to add 2,400MW of electricity to the national grid. The installation of the reactor pressure vessel in the Rooppur nuke plant is a big step forward towards making it ready to generate electricity within a couple of years.

Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant is one of the prestigious mega projects of the country, which will meet the increasing demand for electricity and at the same time help us reach the status of a developed nation within the stipulated time. While opening the installation work of reactor pressure vessels inside the physical structure of unit-1 of the power plant, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said on Sunday her government has been considering the idea of setting up another nuclear power plant in the southern region of Bangladesh to meet the demand for electricity in the region. In this connection, it was said that the relevant authorities were looking for a place in the southern region having hard soil suitable for constructing such a heavy structure. The power plant comes as a follow-up on the PM’s commitment for electricity for all in the country.

Nuclear power plants are essential to get long-term service through minimizing fossil fuel burning and thereby lowering carbon emission. These high tech projects are aimed at the country’s endeavor to become a developed one within the year 2041.  

The construction and installation of a nuclear power plant in Rooppur is a new experience for the country’s scientists, engineers and those who are working in the atomic energy sector. Necessary training facilities for the technical hands have been arranged to develop skilled manpower to run such a sophisticated and highly technical establishment. To ensure the vital issues of security and safety of the plant areas, the authorities have installed a four-tier security measure using modern technologies appropriate for a nuclear plant.

 This needs to be mentioned that the Rooppur nuclear power plant is being designed and built by the engineering division of Rosatom State Atomic Energy Corporation of Russia. This plant will consist of two VVER-1200 reactor power units having a life cycle of about 60 years, with the possible extension of service life of another 20 years. The Russian design with VVER-1200 reactors, successfully implemented at Novovoronezh NPP-2, was selected for the first NPP in Bangladesh. The construction work of the first Rooppur unit commenced in November 2017.  The work of the second unit commenced in July 2018, and is expected to be completed in 2024. It is a turnkey project, and Rosatom will maintain the plant for the first year of operation before handing it over to BAEC. The IAEA continues its close involvement with the project. Rosatom is undertaking some staff training and by now more than 500 Bangladeshis have undergone an internship at Russia's Novovoronezh II nuclear power plant. By 2022, the total is expected to be some 1500 trained there.

We may take a brief look at the history of this power plant. The concept of a nuclear power plant to produce electricity was presented before the government of the day in 1961. In 1963, the Rooppur village of the Pabna district was selected for the proposed plant and 254 acres (103 ha) of land was acquired. The plan was to establish a 200MW nuclear power plant on the selected site. Subsequently, discussions took place with the governments of Canada, Sweden, Norway and France from 1964 to 1966. But, when no progress was made the project was scrapped in 1970. After the birth of Bangladesh, discussion was started again with the Soviet Union. And finally in 2013, a memorandum of understanding was signed with Rosatom of Russia. Later, the International Atomic Energy Agency approved a technical assistance project for the Rooppur nuclear power plant.

We look forward to the timely completion of the prestigious project so that the need for electricity of a huge population can be met from this plant.