Bangladesh explores project expansion
Rooppur First Unit Eyes November Power Generation
- Rosatom expects the first unit to begin generating power by late November.
- Bangladesh and Russia have discussed expanding the country’s nuclear power programme.
- Bangladesh is also interested in small and floating nuclear power plants.
Bangladesh is preparing to enter a new phase of nuclear power generation as Russia’s state-owned nuclear corporation Rosatom expects the first unit of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant to begin generating electricity by late November this year. Discussions are also underway on expanding Bangladesh’s nuclear power programme, including the possible development of small and floating nuclear power plants.
Rosatom’s media department announced the development in a press release on Sunday, October 11. According to the release, Rosatom Director General Alexey Likhachev shared the update with journalists after meeting Bangladesh’s Science and Technology Minister Fakir Mahbub Anam during a visit to Russia.
Likhachev said the prospect of starting nuclear power generation at Rooppur had created interest in expanding the project. Discussions on the issue had taken place. However, the final decision rests with the government and people of Bangladesh.
Asked when the first unit might begin generating electricity, Likhachev said Rosatom expects production to start sometime between November 20 and the end of the month.
Rosatom’s engineering division began loading nuclear fuel into the first unit of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant on April 28 this year. According to the company, fuel loading was an important milestone in the process of commissioning the unit.
Rosatom is constructing the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant under an intergovernmental agreement signed in 2011. The plant comprises two units with a combined generation capacity of 2,400 megawatts. Once operational, it will add significantly to Bangladesh’s electricity generation capacity.
Likhachev had previously said Rosatom expected to begin commissioning activities for the plant’s second unit next year.
Bangladesh is also interested in other proposals from Rosatom, Likhachev said. According to him, the prime minister and the minister had sought information about the company’s other potential proposals. These include small nuclear power plants and floating nuclear power plants. Rosatom also includes these technologies in its integrated proposals for other countries.
//DBTech/RPR/SMP/MIST//
