Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant

Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant
Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant under construction on 29 August 2018
Country Bangladesh
Location Rooppur, Ishwardi, Pabna Bangladesh
Coordinates 24°4′0″N 89°2′50″E / 24.06667°N 89.04722°E / 24.06667; 89.04722Coordinates: 24°4′0″N 89°2′50″E / 24.06667°N 89.04722°E / 24.06667; 89.04722
Status Under construction
Construction began November 30, 2017
Construction cost $12.65 billion
Owner(s) Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission
Operator(s) Nuclear Power Plant Company Bangladesh Limited
Nuclear power station
Reactor type PWR
Cooling source Padma River
Cooling towers 2 × Natural Draft
Power generation
Make and model VVER-1200/523
Units under const. 2 × 1080 MW
Website
www.rooppurnpp.gov.bd

Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant is an under-construction 2.4 GWe nuclear power plant in Bangladesh. The nuclear power plant is being constructed at Rooppur (Rupppur), adjoining Paksey, in the Ishwardi Upazila of Pabna District, on the bank of the river Padma, 87 miles (140 km) west of Dhaka, in the northwest of the country.[1] It will be the country's first nuclear power plant, and the first of two units is expected to go into operation in 2023.[2][3][4] It is being built by the Russian Rosatom State Atomic Energy Corporation.[3] India is also involved in this project with Russia, as mentioned by Mr. Shekhar Basu (Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission of India) at the 61st general conference of the global nuclear watchdog International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The level of Indian involvement (collaboration) in this project has not been established yet, as India is not a member of the Nuclear Supplier Group (NSG), which controls the export of materials, equipment and technology that can be used to manufacture nukes.[5][6][7]

History

The proposal was made in 1961.[8] Government took 254 acres (103 ha) of land in that year to build the plant. In 1963 the plant was approved. Discussions took place with the Government of Canada in 1964 and 1966. Discussions with the governments of Sweden and Norway were also going on in those years. However, no real progress was achieved. After the independence of Bangladesh, the Government of Bangladesh started discussion with the Soviet Union in 1974, however no agreement was reached. In 2001 the government adopted a national Nuclear Power Action Plan.[8]

In 2009 the Bangladesh government again started discussion with the Russian government and on 13 February the two governments signed a memorandum of understanding. Rosatom said they would start construction by 2013.[9][10][11][12][13]

In 2013 a group of Bangladeshi scientists and the global diaspora voiced profound concern over the safety and economic viability of the plant.[14] Several separate issues were raised, from the unsuitability of the site to the obsolescence of the VVER-1000 model proposed, questionable financing arrangements and a lack of agreement with Russia over nuclear waste disposal.[15]

In 2015 the proposal was delayed by a year. Rosatom offered a two VVER-1200 reactor power plant, increasing output to 2.4 GWe.[3]

By December 2015 The Daily Star reported that the estimated cost of the plant had climbed to US$13 billion, from statements of around US$4 billion made earlier in the same year.[16] German based Transparency International expressed concern on 28 December 2015 about the safety of the proposed plant.[16]

In 2016 ground preparation work commenced. The $12.65 billion contract is 90% funded by a loan from the Russian government. The two units generating 2.4 GWe are planned to be operational in 2023 and 2024. Rosatom will operate the units for the first year before handing over to Bangladeshi operators. Russia will supply the nuclear fuel and take back spent nuclear fuel.[17]

On 4 November 2017, Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission received, from Bangladesh Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority, the design and construction license of Unit 1, paving the way for the nuclear island first concrete pour.[18][19]

On 30 November 2017, first concrete was poured for the nuclear island basemat of Unit 1. A ceremony was held, attended by Rosatom’s director-general Alexey Likhachev and the prime minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina.[20] On 14 July 2018, first concrete was poured for Unit 2.[21]

Planned nuclear power reactors

UnitTypeCapacity (gross)Construction startOperationNotes
Rooppur 1VVER-1200/5231200 MWe20172023 [22]
Rooppur 2VVER-1200/5231200 MWe20182024 [23]

Research

Bangladesh’s development strategy sees the country becoming a middle-income nation by 2021, in large part by emphasis on its science and technology sector to drive economic growth. The ministry of science and technology (MoST) estimated in 2014 that US$6.2 billion will be needed in the next decade to achieve the goals of Vision 2021. The Science and Technology Act 2010 is helping to boost this, and MoST is now allocating over $150 million per year to nuclear technology development as gas reserves become depleted.The power plant will also promote the local economy of Rooppur, Pabna.

The country has had a TRIGA 3 MW research reactor operational since 1986.[24]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Russian loan for Rooppur construction". World Nuclear News. 16 January 2013. Retrieved 24 May 2013.
  2. ↑ "Cabinet clears draft law to form company to operate Rooppur nuclear power plant". bdnews24.com. 4 May 2015. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
  3. 1 2 3 "Delay for Bangladesh nuclear plant". World Nuclear News. 20 October 2015. Retrieved 26 October 2015.
  4. ↑ "Rooppur nuclear deal signed with Russia", The Financial Express, 25 December 2015, archived from the original on 26 December 2015, retrieved 27 December 2015
  5. ↑ https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/indias-first-atomic-energy-venture-abroad-is-bangladeshs-first-nuclear-power-plant-1781705
  6. ↑ http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-collaborating-with-russia-for-nuclear-power-plant-in-bangladesh-4853282/
  7. ↑ https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/india-collaborating-with-russia-for-nuclear-power-plant-in-bangladesh-1753019
  8. 1 2 Nuclear Power in Bangladesh, World Nuclear Association, retrieved 1 January 2016
  9. ↑ Mahbub, Sumon (15 January 2013). "N-plant funding deal cut". bdnews24.
  10. ↑ "PM seeks more Russian investment in ICT sector". The News Today. 15 January 2013.
  11. ↑ "Collaboration in defence, telecom agreed upon". The News Today. 15 January 2013.
  12. ↑ "Bangladesh agrees nuclear power deal with Russia". BBC News. 2 November 2011.
  13. ↑ "Bangladesh to Get $1Bln Loan for Weapons". The Moscow Times. 16 January 2013.
  14. ↑ , Voice for Justice World Forum, 30 June 2013
  15. ↑ Karmaker, Arun (23 July 2015). "Rooppur Plant reactor technology being changed". Prothom Alo. Retrieved 2016-07-19.
  16. 1 2 TIB concerned over Rooppur nuke plant’s safety, The Daily Star, 28 December 2015
  17. ↑ "Contract signed for preparatory work at Bangladesh's NPP". Nuclear Engineering International. 1 April 2016. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  18. ↑ "Rooppur gets design, construction licence". www.thedailystar.net. The Daily Star. 5 November 2017. Archived from the original on 4 November 2017. Retrieved 6 November 2017.
  19. ↑ "BD To Pour First Concrete For Its Rooppur NPP On November, 30". www.energybangla.com. 2 November 2017. Retrieved 30 November 2017.
  20. ↑ "First Concrete Poured For Unit 1 At Bangladesh's Rooppur". www.nucnet.org. NucNet a.s.b.l Brussels. 30 November 2017. Retrieved 30 November 2017.
  21. ↑ "Construction starts on second Bangladeshi reactor". World Nuclear News. WNA. 16 July 2018. Retrieved 8 August 2018.
  22. ↑ "ROOPPUR-1". Power Reactor Information System. International Atomic Energy Agency. 2018-08-08. Retrieved 8 August 2018.
  23. ↑ "ROOPPUR-2". Power Reactor Information System. International Atomic Energy Agency. 2018-08-08. Retrieved 8 August 2018.
  24. ↑ Nuclear Power in Bangladesh
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