A high-level Bangladesh delegation headed by Architect Yeafesh Osman, Minister of Science and Technology has visited the Petrozavodskmash facility in Russia, which has been manufacturing equipment for the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant.
The construction work of the country’s first nuclear power project with a capacity of 2400 megawatt is going on in full swing at Rooppur in Pabna district, with the support of Russia’s State Atomic Energy Corporation, Rosatom.
Manufacturing of its various types of machinery and equipment is running in full swing in Russia. Some of these have already reached Bangladesh, some have been shipped and others are still in the manufacturing process.
The delegation recently visited the assembly and welding section to witness the manufacturing process of equipment for both units of Rooppur NPP. They saw for themselves the vessel equipment, steam generator collectors, and main coolant pipeline production. Anatolii Smirnov, Petrozavodskmash Branch Director accompanied the delegation.
“Construction of Rooppur NPP is an impetus for the development of Bangladesh’s economy. Today, we have managed to see that the equipment for the plant is being manufactured following state-of-the-art procedures. You (the Russian side) have been demonstrating the required perfectionism, and we are confident that all of the contractual obligations will be fulfilled”, noted Arch. Yeafesh Osman.
Rosatom officials said the plant will consist of two power units equipped with two VVER-type reactors. These reactors have a life cycle of 60 years with an option of extending for another 20 years. The company “AEM-Technologies” is manufacturing the main equipment of the reactor hall for two power units of the plant.
Petrozavodskmash is one of the manufacturing facilities of AEM-Technologies, which itself is a part of Atomenergomash”, the machine-building division of Rosatom State Corporation.
The government believes at least 1,200MW units of electricity from the first nuclear plant will be added to the national grid by 2023. The second with the same amount of power will be launched by 2024.
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.
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.
On October 2 in 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 the construction of the Rooppur NPP Project on 6 December 2016 at an estimated cost of Taka 1,13,092.91 crore.
