The country’s first 2400 megawatt-capacity nuclear power plant at Rooppur is nearing reality with every passing day. Manufacture of the first body parts of hydro accumulators for passive core flooding system intended for Unit 2 of Rooppur NPP in Pabna has been completed, said officials.
They said Petrozavodsk Branch of ‘AEM-Technology’ (concern of Atomenergomash, the machine-building division of the Russia’s State Corporation Rosatom) manufactured the system.
According to Rosatom, the passive core flooding system is a crucial element of the NPP's safety system designed to release decay heat in the event of a serious coolant accident in the reactor's primary circuit. The system comprises eight thick-walled hydro accumulators, each having a capacity of 120 cubic meters. During operation the accumulators are filled with boric acid solution designated for core cooling.
The body of each hydro accumulator is composed of three shells, each weighing 15.5 tons. Assembled with the in-vessel and bottom components, a passive core flooding system accumulator weighs about 77 tons.
Atomenergomash is the single-source manufacturer for the Rooppur NPP reactor hall and a supplier for most of the turbine island equipment. The division's branches produce reactors, steam generators, pumping and heat-exchanging equipment.
The construction project is being implemented in Rooppur of Pabna district by a subsidiary of Russia’s State Atomic Energy Corporation, Rosatom. It is top priority project on the Bangladesh government’s agenda, all the way up to the Prime Minister’s Office. It is expected that the first unit with capacity of 1200MW will be commissioned in 2023, and the second with similar capacity the following year.
Rooppur NPP is designed and being constructed according to Russian design. The Plant will have two power units, each of 1200 MW capacity, with latest generation 3+ VVER 1200 reactor. “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 of Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant and we have signed a deal in this regard with them,” an official said.
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.
On October 2, 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 “Construction of Rooppur NPP” Project on 6 December 2016 at an estimated cost of Taka 1,13,092.91 crore.