Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant Clarifies Commissioning Deviation, Dismisses Safety Concerns
A routine technical deviation has been identified during the commissioning phase of Unit-1 of the under-construction Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP). However, the operating authority, Nuclear Power Company Bangladesh Limited (NPCBL), has assured that there is no reason for public concern, emphasizing that detecting and correcting such minor issues before commercial operation is a normal and mandatory part of the commissioning process for any nuclear facility.
The clarification comes after reports circulating on social media and in sections of the media claimed that the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant had been shut down due to a serious technical fault before beginning operations. NPCBL Managing Director Dr. Zahedul Hasan described such claims as misleading, unfounded, and intended to create unnecessary public anxiety.
Speaking to the media on Monday, Dr. Hasan said, “Safety remains our highest priority, and there is no room for compromise in this regard. Some distorted information being circulated by certain quarters is creating unnecessary concern among the public, but it does not reflect the actual situation.”
He explained that before entering commercial operation, the facility undergoes a series of rigorous safety and performance evaluations under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority (BAERA). According to him, the identification of even minor deviations during these tests demonstrates the effectiveness of the plant’s safety systems rather than indicating any operational danger.
Providing further technical details, Dr. Hasan noted that a leak-tightness test conducted at a pressure of 8.1 megapascals (MPa) within the plant’s secondary circuit is a mandatory and internationally accepted procedure. The test is routinely performed whenever the plant transitions from shutdown status to operational readiness.
During this inspection, a technical deviation was detected that exceeded the predefined acceptance criteria. He stressed that, under NPCBL’s strict safety culture, even the smallest deviation is thoroughly assessed and corrected before any further operational approval is granted.
Commenting on the matter, Professor Shafiqul Islam, a nuclear scientist and faculty member at the University of Dhaka, said the discovery of minor technical issues during fuel loading or commissioning is not unusual in nuclear projects.
“If there were any significant safety concerns, the plant would require a complete shutdown. The current situation does not fall into that category in any way. Therefore, there is no justification for portraying the matter negatively,” he said.
Meanwhile, Science and Technology Minister Faqir Mahbub Anam sought to reassure the public regarding the facility’s safety standards.
“The government’s highest priority is ensuring the safety of the power plant,” the minister said. “Approximately US$1 billion has been invested in additional safety measures to ensure that the Rooppur project can withstand major natural disasters, including magnitude-8 earthquakes and tsunami-like events.”
He also revealed that, based on the successful implementation of the current project, the government is considering the future addition of two more units at the Rooppur site. Such an expansion, he noted, would strengthen the country’s long-term energy security while remaining economically efficient.
According to project updates, the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant will have a total generation capacity of 2,400 megawatts from its two units. Nuclear fuel loading for Unit-1 was successfully completed on April 28, and commissioning activities are currently underway. Construction and preparatory work for Unit-2 are also progressing rapidly.
Under the revised project schedule, Unit-1 is expected to contribute approximately 1,100 megawatts to the national grid by January 2027. Fuel loading for Unit-2 is planned for June 2027, with both units together expected to deliver around 2,200 megawatts of electricity to the national grid by September 2027, according to project officials.
DBTech/ASHAR/EK/OR
