The expert assessed the consequences of a possible delay in the launch of the Rooppur NPP unit

MOSCOW, 18 Oct — PRIME. A possible delay for several months of the commissioning of power unit No. 1 of the Rooppur NPP in Bangladesh, which is being built with the participation of Russia, will not be critical by the standards of the nuclear industry, it is important that the project is developing, Alexander told RIA Novosti Uvarov.

Earlier, a number of media outlets reported that the start of operation of Unit 1 of the Rooppur NPP would be postponed for several months, until February 2024.

“I must say right away that this is still unofficial information. More than once it has been said about possible shifts to the right of Rosatom’s foreign construction schedules – first due to the pandemic, then due to the current geopolitical situation. The main thing is that the Rooppur NPP project has not stopped. And delaying the commissioning of the power unit for several months, in fact, is not critical at all,” Uvarov said.

“For comparison, I can remind you that the French started building block No. 3 of the Olkiluoto NPP in Finland in 2003, and launched it only this year. This is what is called “behind the schedule,” the expert added.

Rooppur is the first nuclear power plant in Bangladesh under construction according to the Russian AES-2006 project. The selected site for the construction of the station is located on the eastern bank of the Padma River, 160 kilometers from the capital of Bangladesh, Dhaka.

In autumn 2013, the foundation stone of the future power plant was laid. The station will consist of two power units with modern VVER-1200 reactors with a capacity of 1200 MW each, the life cycle of which is 60 years with the possibility of extension for another 20 years.

In February of this year, one of the key stages of its construction was completed at the site of power unit No. 1 – welding of the main circulation pipeline was completed, through which the coolant will be pumped – water, which takes heat from the core of the nuclear reactor.

The key event in the construction of the second power unit of Rooppur NPP this year will be the installation of a reactor vessel at the workplace.