Rooppur unit-1 safety valve issue resolved, first fuel consignment to arrive October 2

After resolving the pressure operated relief valve (PORV) issue of the first unit of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant in Ishwardi, Pabna, testing has been successfully completed. The test, operated from both the main control room and the emergency control room, confirmed 100 percent functionality of the valves.

Russia's state-owned Rosatom, the company building the power plant, conveyed this information in a press release on Thursday, October 1.

According to Rosatom sources, testing began anew on Tuesday night after the valve defect was repaired, and was successfully completed on Wednesday morning. This verified the functionality of the valves from the main control room and emergency control room, as well as tested the response of the relevant main safety valve.

An official of the Nuclear Power Plant Company Bangladesh Limited (NPCBL) said the valve had automatically shut down as temperature increased during reactor trials last May. A five-member expert team from Russia arrived at Rooppur on September 22 to resolve the valve issue. The problem was resolved through the joint efforts of Bangladeshi and Russian experts. In the first phase, testing was done at 16 megapascal pressure. In the next phase, testing is scheduled at nearly 18 megapascal pressure.

The Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant has two units, each with a generation capacity of 1,200 megawatts. According to the project plan, testing of the second unit will begin after the testing work of the first 1,200-megawatt unit is completed.

Meanwhile, related sources said the first consignment of nuclear fuel (uranium) for the second unit of the power plant was scheduled to arrive at Dhaka's Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on Thursday, but it will arrive on Friday noon. Rosatom said the fuel for the second unit will be supplied to Bangladesh through multiple consignments between October and December of the current year.