The Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP) is set to begin the power start-up phase likely this October, a key step towards generating electricity from the country’s first nuclear power facility.
Once the reactor’s output reaches 35% of capacity, supply to the national grid will begin. Officials say that, if everything goes according to plan, around 300 megawatts (MW) could be added to the grid in December.
A responsible source at the Nuclear Power Plant Company Bangladesh Limited (NPCBL) told Dhaka Tribune that the start-up would begin at zero to 1% power likely on October 25. Once output reaches 35%, 300MW can be supplied to the grid, which is the standard procedure.
“But numerous tests must be carried out to clear each stage,” the source said. After every increase in power, all parameters must be checked to ensure they are within limits.
According to the sources, it usually takes about 40 days to reach 35% power after the start-up begins. The timeline could stretch if any test fails along the way.
If all goes well, the plant could be ready for production in the last week of November, or else in December, they said.
Currently, tests on B-2 (fission reaction) are underway. After these are completed, and subject to approval from the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority (BAERA), Stage-C, which is the power start-up, will begin shortly.
Stage-D, or trial operation, will follow next. During this phase, the plant will be tested through trials to establish that it can operate at full capacity. Power generation will be raised and lowered to test the grid’s capacity to absorb it. The plant will also be shut down briefly at times for testing.
Stage-D is expected to take around 10 months. During this period, Rooppur’s operators will work alongside the Russian contractor to build up their skills.
The sources said the plant is currently in the physics start-up stage, with every piece of equipment being tested at very low thermal power. Thermal power will then be raised to spin the turbine, and electricity generation will begin gradually.
Power will be increased step by step once everything checks out in the physics tests and BAERA gives its approval. BAERA’s permission will also be required for spinning the turbine and for generating electricity. At that point, officials will check whether the turbine and the generation process are functioning properly.
An official responsible for the construction project told local media: “If we follow the ideal programme, we hope the plant can go into production by December. But if we get stuck on any test at the last moment, it could take longer.”
Some people involved in the project, however, expressed doubt about meeting the December schedule. They said it is very difficult to give a fixed date for a nuclear plant to start production, and that even a minor problem could mean restarting work from scratch. Even so, December will remain the target.
A delegation from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is organising a training workshop to help ensure emergency preparedness and safety at Rooppur, sources said.
The IAEA’s Emergency Preparedness Review (EPREV) mission will run in Bangladesh from November 8 to 18, reviewing the country’s preparedness for nuclear emergencies.
Talking to Dhaka Tribune, Md Anwar Hossain, secretary of the Ministry of Science and Technology, said bringing Rooppur’s emergency preparedness up to international standards would require coordination among the agencies concerned, trained manpower, clear written guidelines, and round-the-clock radiation and environmental monitoring.
BAERA Chairman Mahmudul Hasan said an integrated emergency response framework should be put in place before the IAEA delegation’s visit, with clearly defined responsibilities for everyone, from first responders in the field to national-level decision-makers.
Abul Khayer Md Akkas Ali, additional secretary of the Atomic Energy Division at the Science and Technology Ministry, said the government is committed to providing the necessary institutional support to ensure nuclear safety.
Meanwhile, earlier, Posts, Telecommunications, ICT Minister and Science and Technology Minister Fakir Mahbub Anam said efforts are under way to supply around 300MW from Rooppur’s first reactor to the national grid by November.
He said the 1,200MW mega project is a flagship project for Russia’s Rosatom, which is therefore giving it high priority. Experts sent three months ago are working round the clock, he added.
The minister also said there is a plan to load fuel into the second reactor around June next year.