RNPP Unit-1: Cold, hot functional tests accomplished

Staff Reporter :

A key stage in the cold and hot functional testing has been successfully completed as part of the ongoing commissioning activities at Unit-1 of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP).

As part of this phase, blowdown operations of the fresh steam pipelines in the turbine compartment were carried out. This confirmed the readiness of the unit’s steam pipelines to deliver steam to the turbine.

A press release received on Wednesday said such tests are essential prerequisites before moving on to the next stages of operation. They are critical to ensuring the safe and reliable performance of turbine equipment during the plant’s operation.

The blowdown was performed using fresh steam at a pressure of 2.0 MPa and a temperature of 200°C. These parameters were selected based on design specifications to ensure effective removal of residual moisture, process contaminants, and mechanical debris from the pipelines.

The release added that the steam was safely discharged into the atmosphere, accompanied by loud noise, which had been anticipated and posed no risk to public safety.

Subsequent stages will include repeated blowdowns using larger volumes of fresh steam. These will complete the cleaning process of the main steam lines and help define the operating parameters of equipment under near-operational conditions.

“With the successful completion of this commissioning stage, RNPP has moved closer to a major milestone – the startup of Power Unit-1 and its eventual integration into the national grid.
Built with the latest Russian VVER-1200 technology, the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant is poised to deliver clean, reliable energy to Bangladesh for decades. Unit-1 alone is expected to meet up to 10 percent of the country’s current electricity demand,” said Alexey Deiry, Vice-President for Projects in Bangladesh at Atomstroyexport.