Trial Power Generation Begins at Rooppur Unit-1 as Second Nuclear Reaction Is Completed at Noon

Trial power generation has begun at Unit-1 of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant at Ishwardi in Pabna. Science and Technology Minister Fakir Mahbub Anam confirmed the matter to journalists on Friday (30 October) afternoon.

The minister told journalists that at around 12 noon on Friday the second nuclear reaction was started in Unit-1 and completed.

Earlier, on Thursday, after all necessary physical startup tests, Unit-1 received approval to begin Stage-C, or power startup, activities. The approval was given by the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority (BAERA).

Project sources said Stage B-1 of Unit-1 of the plant, built under International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) guidelines and with Russian cooperation, has been completed largely successfully. The complexity in the last automatic pressure relief valve test has also been resolved.

The next stage is B-2. In this stage the nuclear reactor is prepared for initial operation. Criticality then begins.

Those concerned said criticality is a stage where a self-sustaining chain reaction, or fission of atoms, is created. Through this, energy or power generation begins gradually in the reactor in a stable and safe way. If it proceeds successfully step by step to 300 megawatts, commercial supply of electricity to the national transmission line will begin.

Earlier, after all physical tests of the B-2 stage of Unit-1 were successfully completed, a final report on the test results and progress was submitted to BAERA. After examining everything, on 8 October BAERA Chairman M Mahmudul Hasan gave permission to start the controlled nuclear fission reaction to move towards power generation from Unit-1.

After receiving permission to start the reaction, the fission reaction began from the afternoon of 11 October. That approval was a major advance on the path to nuclear power generation at Rooppur.

When Rooppur's Unit-1 joins the national grid, Bangladesh will become the world's 33rd country producing nuclear power. Alongside adding a new source of power generation, a new chapter in Bangladesh's capability in nuclear technology will begin.

The Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant has two units. Each unit has a generation capacity of 1,200 megawatts. When both units operate at full capacity, the plant's total capacity will stand at 2,400 megawatts.

Alongside Unit-1, work on Unit-2 is also proceeding in full swing. Bringing uranium from Russia for Unit-2 has begun. Project information says that when power from both units joins the grid, alongside reducing load-shedding, a huge amount of foreign currency will be saved on fuel imports. It also notes that nuclear power will cost less than oil- and coal-based power.

Russia's state nuclear energy corporation Rosatom is cooperating in implementing the project. Rosatom's company Atomstroyexport is working as the contractor. The cost of Bangladesh's largest project has been set at Tk 1,13,092 crore. Russia will provide Tk 91,040 crore as a loan and the rest will be borne by the Bangladesh government. The project is being implemented with a supply loan covering 90 percent of the project cost.

Meanwhile, on Thursday Rosatom said in a press release that Russia has begun supplying nuclear fuel for the VVER-1200 reactor of Rooppur's Unit-2. The necessary fuel will reach Rooppur by December this year. Fuel loading in Unit-2 will begin in June next year.