Significant progress has been made in commissioning Unit-1 of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP) after a high-pressure test of its Pressure-Operated Relief Valve (PROV) was successfully completed at 16 megapascals (MPa) on Wednesday morning.
Jahedul Hasan, managing director of Nuclear Power Plant Company Bangladesh Limited (NPCBL), confirmed on Thursday morning that the PROV valve issue had been fully resolved.
The test began on Tuesday night and continued until Wednesday night from both the main control room and emergency control room.
Technicians first tested the control valves before checking the associated main safety valve, including its response, opening and closing functions, alarms and relevant procedural parameters.
All approved procedures and safety guidelines were followed throughout the test. Communication, fire and radiation safety systems were also checked before and during the operation.
Jahedul said the successful PROV test was a vital milestone in commissioning as the valve plays a direct role in maintaining safe pressure levels in the reactor’s primary system.
He said safety remained the utmost priority, with every test subject to preparation, official approvals, briefings and safety checks. He stressed that safety would not be compromised to meet deadlines.
A test at nearly 18 MPa is scheduled to take place shortly as part of a step-by-step verification process.
The successful test resolves an earlier safety valve fault that had cast uncertainty over Rooppur’s power generation timeline. Russian nuclear engineering contractor JSC ASE had previously proposed transferring a pilot-operated relief valve from Unit-2 to Unit-1 to facilitate the startup of Unit-1.
Science and Technology Minister Fakir Mahbub Anam announced at a press conference at the ICT Tower in Agargaon, Dhaka, On 3 September that the timeline for supplying grid power from Unit-1 had been delayed due to the safety valve fault. No specific repair schedule was disclosed at the time.
Following discussions with the Russian government, a five-member team of Russian experts arrived at Rooppur on 22 September and resolved the fault alongside Bangladeshi engineers.
Meanwhile, the first consignment of nuclear fuel (uranium) for Unit-2 was scheduled to arrive at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka by Thursday noon.
Russian nuclear corporation Rosatom said fuel deliveries for Unit-2 would run from October 2026 through December 2026, with the fuel transported on multiple flights under project contracts.
An NPCBL official said fuel-bearing flights typically arrive in Bangladesh on Thursday nights. Following its arrival, the uranium is scheduled to be transported by road under special security from Dhaka to the project site in Ishwardi, Pabna on 2 October.
