The Branch of JSC “AEM-technology” in Volgodonsk, a part of machine-building division of Rosatom – Atomenergomash, finished one of the key stages of Reactor Vessel manufacture for Unit No.2 for the country’s first 2400 megawatt-capacity Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant.
The construction project is being implemented by a subsidiary of Russia’s State Atomic Energy Corporation, Rosatom. It is high on the Bangladesh government’s agenda, all the way up to the Prime Minister’s Office. The first unit will be commissioned in 2023, and the second in 2024, officials said.
Rosatom officials said after the radiographic test, Reactor Vessel weighing 320 tons was relocated to the gas furnace, and six thermocouples were installed. The equipment was held in the furnace for three days at a temperature of 650 degrees Celsius. Modes of charge ranged from 10 to 650 degrees. The specialists recorded the readings of thermal detectors for three days. This is necessary to ensure a continuous process of thermal tempering of the item. Heat treatment of the Reactor Vessel is required to relieve stress of welds and obtain the required mechanical properties of the metal.
A Reactor is an item of the safety class 1. It is a vertical cylindrical Vessel with an elliptical Bottom. A Core and Internals are located inside the Vessel. At the top, the Reactor is sealed with a Cover with drives of mechanisms and control and protection rods of Reactors and Nozzles for outputting cables of in-core monitoring sensors installed on it. A complete set of main equipment that includes Reactor and four Steam Generators for Unit No.1 of “Rooppur” NPP was shipped to the Customer in 2020.
“Rooppur” NPP is designed and constructed as per Russian project. Design and construction of NPP is carried out by the Engineering Division of “Rosatom” State Corporation. NPP will consist of two Units with VVER-1200 Reactors, the operational life of which is 60 years with the possibility of extending the service life for 20 years.
“The design of Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant has been developed in such a way that it will not succumb to any accident – natural or man-made. One of the main concerns of any nuclear power plant is its waste management. The Russian Federation will take back spent nuclear fuel from the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, and we have signed a deal in this regard with them,”an official said.
The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) approved “Construction of Rooppur NPP” Project on 6 December 2016 at an estimated cost of Taka 1,13,092.91 crore.
