Russian state corporation Rosatom has commenced the main construction of the Unit 2 of 2,400MW Rooppur nuclear power plant (NPP) in Bangladesh.

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Image: Officials during the First Concrete ceremony of the Rooppur Unit 2. Photo: courtesy of The State Atomic Energy Corporation ROSATOM.

Located in Rooppur village of Ishwardi Upazilla, 160km from Dhaka, the Rooppur plant is being developed with an estimated investment of $12.6bn.

The firm marked the start of the construction of the unit 2 by pouring the first portion of concrete into the foundation base of the reactor building of the unit.

Rosatom first deputy director general for operations management Alexander Lokshin said: “Eight months ago the ‘First concrete’ ceremony of Rooppur NPP Unit 1 construction was held.

“Today we are meeting again to start the main stage of construction of Rooppur NPP Unit 2. All the works at the Rooppur NPP construction site are going according to schedule.”

Atomstroyexport, a unit of Russia’s Rosatom, is responsible for the design and construction works of the reactor unit.

Rosatom Machine Building Division–Atomenergomash will supply the complete equipment for the reactor island, as well as of the auxiliary equipment for the turbine island.

Additionally, Rosatom’s various divisions are responsible for the manufacture of reactor vessels, steam generators, pumps, heat-exchange and other equipment.

The power plant is being implemented by the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC) and is aimed to contribute to the country’s energy security.

The construction of the nuclear power plant is being executed according to the Intergovernmental Russian-Bangladesh agreement signed in 2011.

Construction of unit 1 at Rooppur NPP, which is being supported by International Atomic Energy Agency, has commenced in November 2017.

The nuclear plant will feature two VVER-1200 water-cooled, water-moderated power reactors of the AES-2006 / V-392M design.

Each reactor unit has 1,200MW capacity and comprises a reactor and four circulation loops, with each loop including circulation pipelines, a reactor coolant pump, and horizontal steam generator.

The power plant’s main equipment will have more than 60 years of service life without the need for replacement.

The unit 1 and 2 of the power plant are planned to be commissioned in 2023 and 2024, respectively.