Rooppur Unit 1 faces fresh delay over safety valve
JSC ASE, the Russian nuclear engineering contractor involved in the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant project in Bangladesh, has proposed transferring a pilot-operated relief valve (PORV) from Unit 2 to Unit 1 to facilitate the startup of Unit 1, according to officials concerned.
Speaking at a press conference at the ICT Tower in Agargaon, Dhaka, on Thursday, Science and Technology Minister Fakir Mahbub Anam said the start of power supply from Rooppur Unit 1 to the national grid was being delayed due to a defect in a safety valve. However, he could not provide a specific timeline for repairing the defect or starting power generation.
Project officials said that if the alternative valve could not be installed, the commercial operation of the country’s largest power project could be postponed indefinitely.
The complication has arisen due to repeated problems with the PORV installed in the reactor’s pressuriser. The valve is an important safety component that helps control excessive pressure in the primary cooling system.
JSC ASE, a subsidiary of Rosatom, has informed Bangladeshi officials that resolving the problem is technically highly complex. As the valve was specifically manufactured for the reactor design used at Rooppur, it cannot simply be purchased from the commercial market and replaced with a standard alternative.
Meanwhile, there are concerns that the delay in Unit 1 could also affect Unit 2, which is already behind schedule.
The issue was reportedly discussed at a meeting between the Ministry of Science and Technology and Russian Ambassador Alexander Khozin at the Bangladesh Secretariat in Dhaka on August 17. Senior government policymakers and officials were present at the meeting.
According to the official minutes of the meeting, the Russian side said testing of the Unit 1 pressuriser PORV had failed several times over a period of five weeks. The valve’s chief designer is currently working at the Rooppur project site to resolve the problem.
Russian officials said the valve was specially designed to be compatible with the reactor’s design. Even bringing in additional designers would not guarantee a different outcome.
As there is no commercially suitable alternative, readjusting the existing equipment is currently considered the main option.
Ambassador Khozin said the equipment had been designed for a service life of 50 to 60 years. Therefore, its structural strength, durability and performance must be thoroughly verified to ensure long-term reliability.
Science and Technology Secretary Md Anwar Hossain expressed concern over the ongoing delays and called for a realistic timeline to resolve the problems.
The Russian side had sought another three to four days to complete technical coordination and assessment. Ambassador Khozin assured the Bangladeshi side that he would convey the country’s concerns to the relevant officials in Moscow and inform Bangladesh of the outcome promptly.
Work on Unit 1 Still Incomplete
Apart from the PORV problem, several other works at the Rooppur project remain incomplete. According to officials, 47 of the 58 structures associated with Unit 1 have been handed over to Bangladesh. The project director said temporary handover of Unit 1 is planned for December 2026.
The Bangladeshi side urged the Russian contractor to move forward with the remaining work on Unit 1 alongside resolving the PORV issue.
The Russian side said it would prepare a realistic schedule for completing the unfinished work and send another high-level team of experts to Bangladesh.
Unit 2 Work Also Falling Behind
According to the previous schedule, nuclear fuel loading at Unit 2 was supposed to begin in April 2027. Before that, several tests and inspections must be completed as part of the commissioning process. However, these activities are also behind schedule.
The project director said some equipment allocated for Unit 1, including spare equipment, had been used for work on Unit 2. Those items have not yet been resupplied. As a result, they will have to be supplied, installed and commissioned again.
Under the general contract, Unit 2 is scheduled to be temporarily handed over to Bangladesh by December 2027.
The Russian side has agreed to prepare an integrated schedule covering equipment replacement, completion of unfinished work and handover of Unit 2.
Bangladesh has demanded the appointment of additional experts and an independent technical assessment. The objective is to identify the root causes of the delays and determine ways to recover the lost time.
Russian officials said experienced experts were already working at the project site. If necessary, arrangements could be made to bring additional specialists to Bangladesh by charter flight.
The initiative would particularly focus on expediting ventilation and air-conditioning works in Unit 1 and preparations for Unit 2.
Both sides agreed to maintain close coordination at senior technical and management levels. The Russian side also proposed holding another virtual meeting after completing its technical assessment.
The original estimated cost of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant project was approximately Tk 113,100 crore. Under the revised estimate, the cost has increased to around Tk 138,700 crore.
Being constructed under a government-to-government arrangement with Russia, the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant is considered a major source of low-carbon electricity for Bangladesh.
However, the latest complication involving the safety valve has created fresh uncertainty over the schedule for the country’s first nuclear power generation.
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