Energy Bangla

Energy electricity and environment news portal

Dhaka Thursday,  Mar 28, 2024

License for 2nd unit of Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant by June end

RAFIQUL BASHAR

The license for the construction of the second unit of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP) is likely to come through by the end of June. Presently, the verification process for the related documents and other routine standard checking is going on. Once these processes are over, the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC) will grant the license.

“The Regulatory Authorities are reviewing the whole matter. If all goes right, the license will be granted in June itself. However, it all depends on the documents and other relevant factors,” Professor Dr. Naiyyum Choudhury, the chairman of Bangladesh Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority (BAERA) told Nuclear Asia. He also added that the government is assessing the issues related to transport, conservation and disposal of nuclear waste from the second unit of the nuclear power plant.

Dr. Naiyyum also said that the license is given to ensure the public safety and environment safety from the probable harmful effects of radiation emitted from the nuclear power plants. “Protecting the public health, ensuring their and environment’s safety is our responsibility. That is why we are reviewing at such scale,” he added. The license granted after due diligent procedure will be renewed every year.

Just like for the first unit evaluation of soil, water, air, and other environmental elements of the site has been done. The license is given after analyzing the results of 63 types of different tests of soil, water, air, earth-quake resistance and so on. This license is issued only when a site is found suitable for a nuclear power plant. These tests were also done for the second unit. Experts are now evaluating test results. Eight experts of BAERA went to Russia for verifying the information. The license will be given on the basis of the report submitted by them. Chief Engineer of the Department of Atomic power and Energy of BAEC Dr. Md. Abdur Razzak said: “All the required information was provided to the concerned authority and they are now reviewing it.”

Both units of the RNPP are to be installed at the same site so possibility of any hiccups are remote. During the licensing of the first unit, certain conditions were laid down for developing the land and constructing dam for water management. Once the conditions were fulfilled, was the license granted.

Additional Secretary of the Science Ministry Iti Rani Podder told Nuclear Asia: “Getting this license is very important for nuclear power plants. We have applied for the License and the construction will start soon after the license being issued.”

Commenting is closed here