Russia to Send Experts Over Rooppur Valve

Bangladesh’s Science and Technology Minister Fakir Mahbub Anam has acknowledged a problem with the pilot-operated relief valve (PORV) in Unit 1 of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant and assured that the issue will be resolved as quickly as possible. If necessary, the valve from Unit 2 will be transferred to Unit 1, while repair or adjustment of the existing equipment will also be considered. A team of Russian experts is expected to arrive to investigate the problem.

Russia’s nuclear engineering contractor JSC ASE has proposed transferring a PORV from Unit 2 to Unit 1 in an effort to resolve the problem and move ahead with commissioning Bangladesh’s first nuclear reactor, according to officials familiar with the matter.

Asked about the problem on Wednesday (September 2), Minister Fakir Mahbub Anam said:

“Honestly, frankly, I want to be frank and not hide the issue: a specialist team is coming from Russia to investigate why this valve is not working. Wherever the problem is identified, it will be resolved. If necessary, we will replace the valve from Unit 2 and install it in Unit 1. Alternatively, we will ask them to fix the problem in the shortest possible time.”

The PORV installed on the pressuriser of Unit 1 is a critical safety component designed to help control excessive pressure in the reactor’s primary cooling system. Officials said the valve has failed repeated performance tests in recent weeks.

According to officials, resolving the problem is technically complex. The valve is a plant-specific component designed for the Rooppur reactor system and cannot simply be purchased from the commercial market and replaced.

If the proposed replacement cannot be carried out, the country’s largest power project could face an indefinite delay to commissioning, officials said.

JSC ASE is the engineering arm of Russia’s state-owned nuclear energy corporation Rosatom. Recent discussions between Bangladesh and the Russian side have also focused on accelerating the remaining work at Rooppur and ensuring that electricity from the plant reaches the national grid as quickly as possible.

The latest problem has also raised concerns about the schedule for Unit 2, which is already behind schedule. Officials said any further delay to Unit 1 could have a knock-on effect on the second reactor.

The PORV issue was discussed during a meeting between Bangladesh’s Ministry of Science and Technology and Russian Ambassador Alexander Khozin at the Bangladesh Secretariat in Dhaka on August 17. Senior policymakers and officials attended the meeting.

According to the official record of the discussions, tests on the Unit 1 pressuriser PORV had failed several times over a period of five weeks. The manufacturer’s chief designer was reported to be at the Rooppur site working to resolve the problem.

The Russian side said the valve was unique to the reactor design and that bringing in additional Russian designers would not necessarily produce a different result. With no suitable replacement commercially available, readjusting the existing equipment was considered the remaining option.

Ambassador Khozin stressed that the equipment was designed to operate for between 50 and 60 years. Its structural strength, durability and capacity therefore need to be verified to ensure reliable long-term operation.

Bangladesh’s Science and Technology Secretary Md Anwar Hossain expressed concern over the continuing delays and called for a minimum feasible timeframe to be established for resolving the outstanding problems.

The Russian side requested a further three to four days to carry out technical adjustments and assessments. Ambassador Khozin said he would convey Bangladesh’s concerns and the urgency of the situation to officials in Moscow and provide an update on the outcome.

The minister has also urged the authorities concerned to take the necessary steps to complete the remaining work at Rooppur and bring electricity to the national grid as quickly as possible.
//DBTech/JAEN/NAP/MIST//