The Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP) is becoming more visible with every passing day as its construction is progressing day by day keeping pace with time.
Construction of the plant passed a significant stage after concrete works of the turbine hall foundation at Unit – 2 completed on Tuesday, said officials.
In this regard, Sergey Lastochkin, Vice-President of the Rooppur NPP Construction Project, said this is an important stage of construction that will be followed by the erection of walls of the turbine hall. Necessary preparation has begun for the next job.
“The structure required 3,782 tonnes of rebars and 23,550 cubic meters of concrete. The same work at Unit – 1 had been completed in last January,” he added.
“As per the plan, we expect to commission the first unit within 2023, and the second within 2024,” an official from the project said.
Concerned sources said turbine hall accommodates steam generators and turbine. Heat produced at the reactor core is removed by coolant; which is either a liquid or gaseous substance passing through the core. This thermal energy is used to produce steam in the steam generator. Steam’s mechanical energy is transformed into electricity at the turbine generator. This electricity reaches to consumers through electric lines.
Earlier on Tuesday, Bangladesh inked a nuclear fuel supply agreement with Russia for the Rooppur Plant project to run the plant over the period of its lifetime.
Notable, the $12.65 billion mega project is being implemented by state-run Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission, with financial, technical and technological support from Russia through its state atomic energy authority, Rosatom. It is high on the Bangladesh government’s agenda, all the way up to the Prime Minister’s Office.
The under construction Rooppur NPP will have two units, each with a generation 3+ Russian VVER-1200 reactor, with active and passive safety systems.
Each stage of it is being closely monitored by International Atomic Energy Agency and by Bangladesh Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority.
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 for 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 opportunities to pursue studies in nuclear science in Russia.
Official sources said that the construction of the nuclear power plant is estimated to cost $12.65 billion. Russia will give 90 percent of the total cost in loans. The total cost of the project will be recovered within 10-15 years of its launch.
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.
