What minister says about security of Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant

The nuclear fuel handover ceremony (graduation ceremony) of Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP) will be held at the plant site in Ishwardi of Pabna tomorrow (October 5) as Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Russian President Vladimir Putin is scheduled to virtually join it.

The two leaders are scheduled to join the handover event of the Certificate and Model of Nuclear Fuel through virtual platforms, an official source said.

Science and Technology Affairs Minister Architect Yeafesh Osman will be present at the function as Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi will attend the event virtually.

Director General of ROSATOM, Russian Federation Alexei Likhachev will also be present at Rooppur site.

Science and Technology Secretary Md Ali Hossain and Project Director of RNPP construction Dr Md Shawkat Akbar will be present as well.

Science and Technology Affairs Minister Architect Yeafesh Osman already visited the plant site on Wednesday. 

Talking to the journalists, he said the power plant will go into fully commercial production within 2025. The site area will be no fly zone, and no plane will be able to fly over the plant, he said.

Bangladesh is going to be 33rd nuclear power-using country in the world in the perspective of uranium handing, receiving ceremony as part of the government's commitment to ensure energy security in the country.

There are 30,000 people, including 7,000 professionals, working on the project. The project is expected to operate for 60-80 years.

Sources said Rooppur nuclear power plant will be able to take Bangladesh to unique heights by entering the nuclear club as it will also be able to play a leading role in meeting carbon emission reduction targets.
At the same time, it will reduce the cost of power generation in a flash.

The project layout said the RNPP will generate 2,400 MW of electricity everyday and ensure global initiative of reducing carbon emission.

Rosatom, as a Russian contractor, was involved in the construction of the Rooppur nuclear power plant, which consists of two units with 1,200 megawatts capacity each.