Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant: Faulty safety valves delay electricity supply to national grid, says Minister
Science and Technology Minister Fakir Mahbub Anam has said the timeline for starting power supply from the first unit of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant to the national grid is being pushed back due to problems with safety valves.
The minister could not provide a specific timeline for when the safety valve problems would be repaired or when the first unit would begin supplying electricity to the national grid.
He made the remarks at a press conference at ICT Tower in Agargaon, Dhaka, on Thursday afternoon. The press conference was organised to highlight the major achievements of the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology and the Ministry of Science and Technology during the BNP government’s first 180 days.
Fakir Mahbub Anam said preparatory tests began on 28 April at the plant’s first unit ahead of fuel loading. At that stage, the target was to begin supplying electricity to the national grid within four to six months. Tests have now been completed through several stages, with Stage B completed. However, the plant cannot proceed to Stage C because of problems with two safety valves.
Asked when repairs to the safety valves would be completed and when commissioning of the first unit would begin, the minister could not provide a specific date.
“We cannot say anything specific at this moment. A team of experts will come from Russia to determine why the safety valves are not working. The actual cause of the problem will be known after their examination and assessment,” he said.
The minister said the project designer’s assessment indicated that the two safety valves might need to be completely replaced. Two options are being considered. One is to take the valves allocated for the second unit and install them in the first unit. The other is to ask the Russian vendor to manufacture and supply new valves as quickly as possible.
The minister said whichever option is faster and more practical would be chosen.
At the press conference, Fakir Mahbub Anam also said discussions were under way with mobile operators on allowing customers to use the value of unused mobile data even after a data package expires.
He said they had discussed with operators whether customers could be given an additional one or two days to use their remaining data after the package expires.
Also present at the press conference were Prime Minister’s Adviser for Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology Rehan Asif Asad and ICT Division Secretary Md Mamunur Rashid Bhuiyan.