Staff Correspondent

The Power Grid Company of Bangladesh (PGCB) yesterday completed conducting a test of power transmission through its newly constructed Rooppur-Gopalganj grid line.After the completion of line testing, the 158km 400kv grid line is ready for power supply, said Md Delwar Hossain, superintendent engineer of the PGCB.

"We have also completed work on the Padma river setting two towers in the river last week (May 26). Later the grid line was connected with the new towers on the Padma," said Delwar, also director of the project for the construction of the river crossing line to the Rooppur project.

He added, "The 400kv Rooppur-Gopalganj grid line was constructed for the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant. Power supply will start as per the work plan of the Rooppur project. We have to wait for a sub-station to be constructed in the project site."

The work on the 230kv double circuit Rooppur-Baghabari grid lines, and 400kv Rooppur-Bogura grid line and 400kv Rooppur-Gopalganj grid lines has already been completed.

Meanwhile, the work at the 400kv double circuit Rooppur-Amin Bazar and 230kv double circuit Rooppur Dhamrai grid line will begin after completing work on the 7km river crossing grid line on the Jamuna river next year.

Delwar said, "Rooppur project authority has demanded completion of the work of four grid lines for the unit-1 operation. So we have completed the necessary grid line work."

However, officials said that operation of the unit-1 is likely to start at the end of this year.

Earlier, Jahedul Hasan, former director of the project, said that at least four to five months are needed to reach the stage of the unit-1 operation after completing necessary grid line work.

There are a series of tests required to start the operation of the unit, said Jahedul Hasan, also managing director of Nuclear Power Plant Company Bangladesh Limited.