Rooppur Technical Snag: Govt Seeks IAEA Support to Resolve Safety Valve Issues

Amid severe national grid deficits and soaring fuel import costs, Bangladesh has accelerated efforts to operationalize its maiden Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP). Minister for Science and Technology Faqir Mahtab Anam recently met IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi in Vienna to request technical assistance for the commissioning process of the plant's first unit while reassuring Bangladesh's compliance with strict nuclear safety protocols.

The first 1,200 MW VVER-1200 reactor at the Pabna site encountered technical delays during its commissioning phase due to operational anomalies identified in two critical safety valves. To resolve the bottleneck, Russian state nuclear entity Rosatom has deployed specialized technical teams among 4,000 Russian engineers on-site. Officials are currently evaluating whether to repair the existing valves, source replacements, or utilize the backup safety valves allocated for Unit 2.

Russian Ambassador to Bangladesh Alexander Khozin indicated optimism regarding integrating approximately 300 MW from Rooppur into the national grid by next month. However, Project Director Dr. Md. Kabir Hossain emphasized that a definitive timeline depends on completing the valve rectified steps alongside two to three subsequent mandatory testing phases. The fuel loading for Unit 1 commenced on April 28, 2026, putting Bangladesh on the threshold of nuclear energy generation.

Concurrently, IAEA's latest report titled 'Energy, Electricity and Nuclear Power Estimates' projects global nuclear generation capacity to expand from 377.1 GW at the end of 2025 to 696 GW by 2060. Driven by surging energy demands and decarbonization targets, much of this expansion is expected in Middle and East Asia. The agency also highlights that Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) could account for up to 28% of new nuclear capacity additions globally, presenting viable options for future energy planning in Bangladesh.
 //DBTech/SME/MIST//