Reactor containment successfully tested at Rooppur Unit-1 ahead of fuel loading

The reactor compartment containment at Unit-1 of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant has been successfully tested ahead of nuclear fuel loading, according to a press statement issued recently by ROSATOM.

As part of essential safety measures, the reactor compartment undergoes testing prior to the loading of nuclear fuel.

According to the ROSATOM, a compressor was used to increase the pressure inside the containment to test its ability to withstand loads.

The testing of the reactor compartment containment is a critical step before initiating fuel loading at the plant, the statement said.

The reactor containment is a physical barrier made of pre-stressed reinforced concrete with an internal sealing steel lining. It is designed to prevent the release of radioactive substances into the environment in the event of an emergency, to localise them within the containment, and to provide protection against potential external impacts, the statement added.

A series of tests are currently underway to prepare the Rooppur nuclear plant for its physical start-up, which is likely to take place by the end of this year, according to project sources.

The Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant is equipped with two VVER-1200 reactors, with a combined capacity of 2,400MW, at a cost of USD 12.65 billion.