Seven Day Regulatory Audit Evaluates Readiness At Unit One
BAERA Initiates Safety Inspection Prior To RNPP Power Startup
- Nuclear regulator assesses technical readiness following achievement of first reactor criticality
- Comprehensive review initiated with NPCBL leadership alongside international VO Safety specialists
- Onsite compliance audits running through 17 October evaluate operational safety protocols
Following the successful initiation of sustained nuclear fission at the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP), the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority (BAERA) has commenced a specialized onsite inspection to evaluate reactor safety and baseline preparations ahead of the critical power startup phase. The technical audit officially began on the morning of Sunday, 11 October 2026, at the plant premises in Ishwardi, Pabna.
The inspection proceedings formally opened with an operational review session hosted at the RNPP Training Centre Auditorium. The meeting convened the Managing Director of the Nuclear Power Plant Company Bangladesh Limited (NPCBL), key representatives of the operating authority, senior nuclear engineers, and certified specialists from VO-Safety.
The multi-tiered regulatory inspection is designed to scrutinize all operational systems, auxiliary mechanisms, radiation defense parameters, and functional documentation prior to initiating electricity generation pipelines. Expert teams are conducting rigorous verifications of primary cooling loops, physical security frameworks, and technical compliance benchmarks aligned with international atomic safety standards.
BAERA’s comprehensive assessment will continue across the facility through 17 October 2026. Data, telemetry metrics, and diagnostic logs gathered throughout the week-long audit will form the technical basis for issuing regulatory permits required to advance toward subsequent power commissioning phases.
The regulatory review follows Unit-1 reaching sustained reactor criticality earlier on 11 October at precisely 3:34 PM. Achieving criticality marks the formal operational activation of the core, making BAERA's subsequent safety clearance an essential prerequisite for stepping up thermal capacities. Project authorities reiterated that uncompromising safety remains the utmost priority across all commissioning stages, confirming that subsequent operational transitions will strictly comply with approved regulatory directives.
//DBTech/DRPL/SMP/MIST//
