Following the successful completion of the ‘Cold and Hot’ test of the steam supply pipeline to the turbine in the first unit of the under-construction Ruppur Nuclear Power Plant in Ishwardi, the power plant authority is now preparing to move to the next phase, literary called second phase .
This information has been confirmed by the Nuclear Power Plant Company Bangladesh Limited (NPCBL) and the Russian contractor company Atomstroyexport.
Dr. Zahedul Hasan, Managing Director of NPCBL, confirmed the update when talked to the Daily Sun today (Thursday) noon.
He stated that, after the successful completion of the first phase, the pipelines are considered operational and safe, guaranteeing a reliable steam supply to the turbine. The power plant authority is now preparing for the next phase, which involves repeating the test with higher-pressure steam to evaluate the equipment’s performance under operational conditions.
Dr. Zahedul explained that these tests are mandatory before commissioning a nuclear power plant. These tests verify the safety and reliability of the turbine equipment and pipeline systems.
During the test, steam at 2 megapascals pressure and 200 degrees Celsius was used in a ‘blow-down’ procedure to thoroughly clean the pipelines of dirt, debris, and moisture.
Alexey Deyri, Vice President of the Russian contractor Atomstroyexport, stated, “Completing this crucial commissioning step brings us one step closer to starting the first unit and integrating it into the national grid.”
The authority asserted that in second phase, the steam generated more loud noises, which will be informed to the local community beforehand to avoid causing alarm.
With financial and technical support from Russia, two units are under construction at the Ruppur Nuclear Project, each boasting a generation capacity of 1,200 megawatts.
The project employs the latest VVER-1200 reactor technology, and its implementation is managed by Atomstroyexport, the engineering division of Rosatom.
The Ruppur Nuclear Power Plant is projected to meet approximately 10 percent of the country’s electricity demand for decades to come.
Aman/