Fuel Loading at Ruppur Nuclear Plant Begins April 7

Bangladesh’s first nuclear power plant at Ruppur will begin fuel loading operations on April 7. On that day, uranium rods will be formally loaded into the reactor. According to sources, in preparation for the inauguration ceremony, officials and employees of the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission, Bangladesh Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority, and Nuclear Power Plant Company Bangladesh Limited (NPCBL) continued their work even during the Eid holidays. All preparatory work for Unit-1 is expected to be completed by Friday, March 27.

Ministry sources revealed that preparations for fuel loading are being carried out under the overall supervision and guidance of the Ministry of Science and Technology. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will inaugurate the program virtually from Dhaka’s Novo Theatre. Russia’s President may also join virtually. At the project site, the ceremony will be attended by Fakir Mahbub Anam, Minister of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology as well as Minister of Science and Technology, Alexey Likhachev, Director General of Russia’s state nuclear corporation Rosatom, and the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Officials involved in the project stated that after the inauguration, commissioning and fuel loading will formally begin. Following the fuel loading, electricity supply to the national grid is expected to start by July this year, with an initial target of at least 300 megawatts.
Md. Anwar Hossain, Secretary of the Ministry of Science and Technology, confirmed: “Fuel loading will begin on April 7. We expect to start electricity generation by July and supply at least 300 megawatts to the national grid.” He added that if the schedule is maintained, the unit will reach full production capacity by December.

Dr. Md. Zahedul Hasan, Managing Director of NPCBL, explained that in the fuel loading process, uranium-enriched rods are placed in the reactor core. These rods generate heat through chain reactions, which produces steam to drive turbines and generate electricity. He noted that out of nearly 2,000 tests, 1,650 have already been completed, with no major faults detected. The Bangladesh Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority is supervising the process according to international safety standards.

Project officials said fuel loading will take about a month, and electricity generation may begin within two more months. Unit-1 is expected to reach full capacity by December, while work on Unit-2 is already more than 70% complete.
The $12.65 billion project, launched in 2017, has progressed over 81%. Two Russian VVER-1200 model reactors are being installed, with full production targeted by 2027.

Local residents have expressed excitement and optimism. Former chairman of Salimpur Union Council, Atiar Rahman, said: “We are delighted that fuel loading at Ruppur is beginning. On behalf of the people, I thank Prime Minister Tarique Rahman for this timely and important decision.”
National award-winning farmer Abdul Jalil Kitab Mondol (known as Lichu Kitab) said: “We are very happy to see this long-awaited project finally producing electricity. Some feared nuclear power would harm agriculture, but I believe it will instead support an agricultural revolution.”

Businessman Alhaj Khairul Islam, owner of Khairul Group, added: “Fuel loading at Ruppur is a dream come true. To meet Bangladesh’s electricity demand, we need not only 2,400 MW but also expansion to 4,800 MW.”

The Ruppur Nuclear Power Plant is being built with Russian financial and technical assistance under a general agreement with the Russian Federation. A survey agreement was signed in 2013, followed by a construction agreement in 2015. Construction began in 2017, though the project was delayed by three years. Bangladesh and Russia later extended the timeline to 2027. Rosatom, Russia’s state agency, is implementing the project. The reactors are designed to meet international safety standards.

The first unit’s construction is complete and ready for production, while the second unit is still under construction and may be finished by the end of next year. The entire project may take until 2028 to complete. The total construction cost is estimated at $12.65 billion (Tk 1.13 trillion). Each unit will generate 1,200 MW, for a combined total of 2,400 MW.
DBTech/IH/MUM