Ishwardi (Pabna) Correspondent :
Construction of transmission line from Rooppur nuclear power plant in Ishwardi to Bogura substation of National Grid has been completed. On April 30, experimental electricity began transmitting on that high-capacity line. The Power Grid Company of Bangladesh (PGCB) authorities said that the electricity has been successfully operated after the launch.
Masudul Islam, chief engineer of PGCB and director of transmission line construction project of Rooppur nuclear power project, said that electricity has been experimentally transmitted from Bogra substation of National Grid to Rooppur in 400 KV single circuit transmission line. No major problems were found. Although the line was constructed for the Rooppur project, PGCB conducted experimental power transmission. Until the handover of the line, PGCB and Rooppur authorities will jointly manage the power transmission.
Speaking to Rooppur NPP and PGCB officials, it is learned that a few high capacity grid lines are required to supply power to the first unit of Rooppur Nuclear Power Project. A few grids have already been completed. A few others are under construction. Among them, 89.92 km from Rooppur to Bogra, 60 km from Rooppur to Baghabari grid line has been completed. After the experimental electricity transmission of Rooppur-Baghbari line, this time electricity transmission was done on Rooppur-Bogra line.
According to sources, apart from those 2 lines, the construction work of 144 km grid line from Rooppur to Gopalganj is going on. To start this line, a two kilometer line has to be constructed on the Padma river. On the other hand, for the second unit of the project, a 147 km long grid line has to be constructed from Rooppur to Dhaka. Out of which 14 km falls in Yamuna river.
Masudul Islam, director of the transmission line construction project, said that when the rest of the grid line construction work is completed, three lines will be handed over to the nuclear power project by October this year. Once the power generation of the first unit starts, the transmission will be started through the Rooppur-Baghbari line. The Rooppur-Bogra line will then be kept operational. The line will be used if necessary.
Related: Third plus generation Russian VVER 1200 reactors are being installed in two units of Rooppur nuclear power project. 1 thousand 200 MW electricity will be available from each unit. The total production capacity of the project is 2400 MW.
These reactors are fully capable of meeting all international safety requirements. Trial production of the first unit is scheduled to begin in December this year after all preparations are completed.
Under the general contract signed on December 25, 2015, the engineering branch of the Russian state nuclear agency Rosatom is implementing the project.