The Volgodonsk branch of Atommash AEM-Technologies JSC (part of Atomenergomash, the engineering division of Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom) said on 17 July that it had completed hydraulic tests on the reactor pressure vessel (RPV) for unit 1 of the Rooppur NPP under construction for Bangladesh.

The tests were carried out in a three-level underground caisson stand. To install the reactor vessel in the design position, the support ring was first lowered into the stand, and then the VVER-1200 reactor vessel was placed on it. The operation to move the equipment took place using a crane with a lifting capacity of 600 tons.

After sealing the watertight chamber, the RPV was filled with distilled water, heated to 100 degrees and submitted to a maximum pressure of 24.5 MPa - 1.4 times higher than the working pressure. The tests confirmed the strength of the base metal and welded joints of the RPV. Rosatom is building two 1200MWe VVER-1200 s at Rooppur, which is on the eastern bank of the river Ganges.