Energy Bangla

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Dhaka Thursday,  Mar 28, 2024

BD will have 3+ generation nuclear reactor- V. Limarenko

A group of Bangladeshi journalists attended the recently concluded International Atomic Energy Conference, ATOMEXPO-2015 in Moscow. Valery Limarenko, Director General of NIAEP, sister concern of Rosatom had an interaction session with the Bangladeshi journalists, where he shared many important issues regarding Rooppur NPP. It may be mentioned here that NIAEP has been assigned to do the feasibility study of the Rooppur site, engineering design of the project, physical work at the main construction site and others.

Q – What is the latest status of feasibility study at Rooppur site? Could you finalise the design of the nuclear reactor to be set up at Rooppur?

VL – We have concluded 3 contracts with the Government of Bangladesh. The 1st contract is for engineering survey. 2nd contract for basic design stage. The 3rd contract for physical works which are required at the main construction site. The design will be completed by the end of this year. So we’ll be able to answer your question then.

Q – What do you think when the general contract for construction of Rooppur NPP will be signed?

VL –Now we are working on the main contract and on the technical appendices. There’s a strong team of experts from Bangladesh who visited Moscow recently and we were discussing the details of the contracts. We expect to finish the works on the contract within next few months. I think the main clauses of the contract regarding prices will be approved in July or August. If the final agreement gets approval from Bangladesh Government signing should happen according to our schedule by the 1st of November.

Q- We know that you have already done the environmental assessment for the Rooppur NPP. Local public want to know if there is any possibility of negative impact on the local people and environment?

VL – Thank you for your question. I’ll be glad to answer it. We are building the safest nuclear power plant in Bangladesh. The prototype of the plant, or a reference project is Novovoronezh power plant, the construction of which is being completed at the moment. Now it is going through trial operation and is expected to be connected to the grid this year. It will be the first 3+ generation nuclear power plant in the world. The nuclear power plant we are going to build in Bangladesh will be similar to this. It will be an export version of this project and it will be called VVER-TOI. It will be designed in the most advanced information format. And I’d like to say that from the safety point of view this power plant will be the most perfect, that’s why its’ called generation 3+. There are no power plants of this quality in the world now. NPPs of generation 3 are operated now in China, it’s a Russian design – Tianwan NPP. And there’s one in India – it’s Kudankulam NPP.

Q – What will be the cost of Rooppur NPP? Can you give any hint on that?

VL – It’s a commercial issue, I can’t disclose this information at the moment. I request for your understanding. But I can tell you that when the general contract and inter-governmental agreement on credit will be signed this information will be public.

Q – What are the safety measures you are planning for the Rooppur NPP?

VL – As I said the Rooppur NPP will have the most advanced technology, and all necessary measures stipulated by technical measures of global level will be taken. It will be a plant combining active and passive safety systems. It will have double containments and core catcher. So all possible safety measures will be adopted for the project. The project will be absolutely safe and there is no chance of any negative impact on the environment.

Q – Some scientists in Bangladesh say that the site of Rooppur power plant has risk of earthquakes. How are you planning to address the threat?

VL – First I’d like to say that the place is rather good. It’s not the most dangerous place, I would say it’s quite safe. There are specific technical tasks, not easy tasks that we’ll have to solve. As for seismic, I’d like to say that the type of power plant we are going to set up will be able to withstand earthquake of 9 points in the Richter scale. We have good references to the ability of our power plants to withstand earthquakes. For example the earthquake in Armenia in the city of Spitak. Every building in the city was destroyed by the earthquake but the nuclear plant built by us remained unharmed and continued its normal operation after corresponding preventive maintenance. It is a historical fact and I think this can be a good reference for you.

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