Nuclear Network Nears Launch as Rooppur Reactor Begins Fuel Phase
The Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, being constructed at a cost of approximately $12.65 billion on the banks of the Padma River in Ishwardi, Pabna district, is set to begin uranium loading and physical start-up in its first unit from Tuesday, 28 April. With a target of generating a total of 2,400 megawatts of electricity from two units, Bangladesh is poised to join the nuclear power-producing nations, marking the end of a long wait.
According to sources from the Ministry of Science and Technology, stringent security measures have been ensured in and around the project area ahead of the uranium loading process. Extensive administrative preparations have also been completed. High-level representatives from Bangladesh and Russia have already arrived in Rooppur.
Journalists from both national and international media are traveling from Dhaka to Rooppur to cover this historic event.
The inauguration ceremony for the uranium loading process is expected to be attended by Minister of Science and Technology Fakir Mahbub Anam, Prime Minister’s Adviser Rehan Asif Asad, relevant Members of Parliament, ministry secretaries, Director General of Russia’s state corporation Rosatom Alexey Likhachev, and Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency Rafael Grossi, among other senior officials.
The minister and his delegation are scheduled to join the event by air in the morning, while the formal inauguration of the milestone moment will take place at around 3:45 pm.
Secretary of the Ministry of Science and Technology Md. Anwar Hossain said, “With the fuel loading, the production process of the project will formally begin.”
He expressed hope that around 300 megawatts of electricity from the first unit could be added to the national grid by the first week of August. The unit is expected to reach full production capacity by the end of this year or early next year.
It is learned that completing the nuclear fuel loading into the reactor will take between 30 to 40 days, during which multiple phases of safety testing and analysis will be conducted.
Two VVER-1200 reactors have been installed at the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant in Ishwardi. Once fully operational, the plant will supply a total of 2,400 megawatts of electricity to the national grid.
Managing Director of Nuclear Power Company Bangladesh Limited, Dr. Zahedul Hasan, said that maintaining international safety and technical standards was the biggest challenge. However, overcoming all obstacles, the first unit at Rooppur is now fully ready for fuel loading. A total of 59 Bangladeshi experts have already obtained operating licenses after passing rigorous international assessments required to conduct this process.
DBTech/IH/EK/OR
