The Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP) is expected to begin its test run by December, Project Director Md Zahedul Hasan said on Tuesday.
“Despite setbacks due to the Covid-19 pandemic and ongoing geopolitical conflicts, the progress of the Rooppur project remains satisfactory,” he expressed during a meeting with the executive committee of Atomic Reporters Bangladesh (ARB) Dhaka’s Agargaon area.
At the same time, the project director highlighted that constructing the power transmission lines, which are crucial for transporting electricity from the plan to the grid, is currently the main challenge the project is facing.
"Power Grid Bangladesh PLC is committed to completing the construction of two grid lines by December, enabling the initiation of grid tests," he said.
Zahedul Hasan expects these tests to be conducted over several days, with electricity from the RNPP anticipated to be available in the first half of next year.
Addressing widespread misconceptions about the RNPP, the project director asserted that Bangladesh's approach to nuclear facility development is unprecedented worldwide. "As a new player in this field, Bangladesh's implementation of the Rooppur project sets a unique benchmark," he said, claiming that the project's cost is lower compared to many other international counterparts, including India.
Zahedul Hasan further elaborated on the challenges faced during the project's construction, noting that Bangladesh's soil was initially unsuitable for a nuclear facility. Consequently, the soil at Rooppur in Pabna was reinforced by mixing clinker up to a depth of 20 metres. He also pointed out that including all types of infrastructure in the general contract contributed to the perceived higher costs.
Citing the example of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant in India, the RNPP project director noted that the Indian team developed their land and infrastructure independently, with the main contract costing approximately $7 billion. In contrast, Egypt is constructing four nuclear units at $30 billion.
The Rooppur project involves the construction of two nuclear units with a total capacity of 2,400 MW in Pabna’s Ishurdi Upazila, with technical and loan assistance from Russia.
The estimated cost of the project is $12.65 billion, with 90 per cent of the funding provided by Russia and the remaining 10 per cent by Bangladesh.
