Welding of the main coolant pipeline (MCP) has been successfully completed in the reactor building of Unit 2 at Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (NPP).
According to Rosatom, the Russian Contractor of the Rooppur NPP, the entire process of joining, welding, and heat treatment of 28 weld joints took 60 days.
Another 6 days were required to complete surfacing with austenitic stainless steel that will protect the pipeline from aggressive media, it said.
The main coolant pipeline is a system of pipes connected to the primary circuit. It consists of four loops, each of which is connected to the reactor and reactor coolant pump and steam generator.
The MCP is 140 meters long with an inner diameter of 850 mm and weighs 238 tons.
“During the NPP operation, coolant with a temperature of 320 degrees centigrade will be circulating through the MCP, therefore, pipeline welding is a very responsible process involving the most experienced welders.Each weld joint passes seven inspections at different work stages, which guarantees its reliability and quality”, said Alexey Deriy, ASE Vice President and Director of Rooppur NPP Construction Project.
About 100 employees of Energospetsmontazh were engaged in the works. Specialists from NIKIMT-Atomstroy provided technical, expertise, and consultation support.
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Rooppur NPP is being equipped with two Russian VVER-1200 reactors of a total 2400 MW capacity.
The VVER-1200 reactors belonging to Generation III+ fully comply with all the international safety requirements.
The Engineering Division of Rosatom State Corporation of Russia is implementing the project as the general contractor.
According to Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC), the 2400 MW Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant project, with two units, was undertaken in 2010.
A target was set by the government to complete the construction of the first unit in 2022 and second unit in 2023.
But later the target was reset, and the first unit was to be completed by June 2024 and second unit by June 2025.
Bangladesh's Science and Technology Minister Yeafesh Osman has recently said that the government is trying to complete the construction work of Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant project within the stipulated timeframe.
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“Due to the Russia-Ukraine war and subsequent dollar crisis, work of the project has been delayed to some extent,” he said while briefing reporters after a joint meeting of his ministry with the Power Division on in November last year at Dhaka’s Bidyut Bhaban.