Rooppur nuclear plant's first unit gets automated control system from Rosatom

The installation of a fully automated process control system for the first unit of the under-construction Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant in Ishwardi, Pabna, has been completed by Rosatom. The authorities confirmed this on Friday, May 8, marking another important milestone for Bangladesh's first nuclear power project.

Earlier on April 28, the plant entered its initial operational phase with the start of nuclear fuel loading into the first unit. The installation of the modern control system has further paved the way for the safe and efficient operation of the plant.

Rosatom's Automation and Electrical Engineering Division, 'Rosatom Automated Control Systems' (RASU), supplied the automated system. The organisation installed 22 sub-systems for the first unit, including automated process control and radiation monitoring systems.

The main task of this system will be to continuously monitor the operational status of equipment during the commissioning and regular operation of the power unit, as well as radiation monitoring of the power generation process and overall technical aspects.

Gleb Murashov, Managing Director of Rosatom's Automated Process Control Systems Division, said several improvements and modifications have been made to this system considering the special features of the Rooppur project. A compact bench-type design has been used here for the first time, which includes an automated radiation monitoring system. All necessary equipment for the first unit of the plant has now been supplied and commissioned.

The Rooppur nuclear project, built with Russian technology and financial assistance, includes two VVER-1200 reactors. The combined generation capacity of the plant is 2,400 megawatts. The Generation III+ reactor design adheres to international safety standards. Six units of this technology are currently operational in Russia and Belarus. Additionally, nuclear power plants using the same technology are under construction in Egypt, Hungary, Turkey and China.

Following fuel loading and associated testing, if all goes according to plan, the first unit is expected to begin supplying approximately 300 megawatts of electricity to the national grid on a trial basis by the end of July or August.