A delegation from Bangladesh visited Atomexpo 2022 International Forum, at which the delegates made a number of important statements. Meanwhile, good news is coming from the Rooppur construction site as the external containment dome was installed on top of Unit 1 reactor building.
Among Bangladesh delegates at Atomexpo 2022 were Rooppur Project Director Shawkat Akbar, officials from the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC), nuclear researchers, and reporters. The delegation was headed by Minister of Science and Technology of Bangladesh, Yafes Osman. Speaking at the plenary session, the minister highlighted the importance of Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant for the national development. “Bangladesh is a small but densely populated country. We should look for energy sources that are reliable, cost efficient and sustainable. Nuclear is the source we need. It is true that the costs of a nuclear power plant are high, but they pay back in the long term. As we all know, its service life is much longer than that of other power generation sources. Construction of Bangladesh’s first nuclear power plant gives us an opportunity to unleash social, economic, technological and academic potential of our country because nuclear technology has always been in the forefront of science. We have won a chance to join a global club of nuclear countries,” Yafes Osman said.
Bangladesh officials also took part in other events at Atomexpo. Speaking at the ‘Ensuring Operational Availability of New Units’ round-table discussion, Mohammad Shawkat Akbar told the audience about the stages of Rooppur construction and the latest updates from the site.
Mozammel Haque, Chairman of the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority, took part in the session entitled ‘Licensing Harmonization: Wish or Reality’ and discussed with his colleagues the issues of national nuclear safety regulations and licensing processes as an integral part of the nuclear infrastructure development. Representatives of regulatory bodies spoke about the application of the IAEA international safety standards and requirements of the Western European Nuclear Regulators Association (WENRA) in establishing a national regulatory and licensing framework for nuclear construction projects. The speakers noted the importance of best international practices in setting up national regulations to streamline the licensing process.
Meanwhile, construction works are going on at the Rooppur site. In late November, workers finished the installation of steel structures for the external containment dome at the reactor building of Unit 1. The 100‑ton 34.4m round upper section of the dome was installed on top of the building at the height of 57 meters. At present, the building measures 63.910 meters high and will reach 64.500 meters after concreting of the dome. The installation works were carried out in two stages — the lower section of the dome had been installed a week before.
The external containment is an essential localizing safety system. It protects the reactor from external impacts and prevents radioactivity leaks in any circumstances.
