Rooppur won’t generate power this month, start date uncertain: Minister

Power generation at the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant will not begin this month, and there is still no firm timeline for when production will start, Science and Technology Minister Faqir Mahbub Anam said Thursday (September 10).

“Two safety valves of the reactor are not functioning,” the minister told a press conference at the Secretariat ahead of the Innovation Fair, scheduled for September 12-14.

Russian experts are currently working to fix the problem, he said.

As the repairs are still underway, it is not possible to give a definite date for the start of power generation, Anam said.

He also said an investigation was underway into the recent fire at the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant. The government will also move quickly to determine the price of electricity generated by the facility, he added.

The minister said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is scheduled to inaugurate the Innovation Fair at 11am on September 12. The event aims to connect innovation with policymaking, industrial investment and market opportunities.