Rooppur Unit Two Gets 41-Tonne Fuel Shipment

A 41-tonne shipment of nuclear fuel for Unit Two of Bangladesh's Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant has reached the project site in Ishwardi, Pabna. Three trucks carrying the fuel arrived at around 7:45 am on Tuesday, October 27, under special military security. The shipment, brought from Russia, comprised 41 tonnes of nuclear fuel transported in 12 transport packages.

The specialised cargo aircraft carrying the shipment landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka on Monday morning after travelling via Delhi, India. Officials of the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission received the fuel at the airport.

The three trucks left Dhaka for Rooppur early Tuesday. Under military security, they crossed the Bangabandhu Bridge and travelled through Bonpara in Natore and Dashuria in Pabna before reaching the project site. Police personnel were seen stationed at key points along the highway. Members of the military, SRB and intelligence agencies were also involved in security arrangements.

According to police and project-related sources cited in the report, special security measures were implemented during transportation. Heavy-vehicle movement was temporarily regulated along parts of the highway to help prevent traffic congestion.

Unit Two's 163 uranium assemblies

According to sources cited in the report, Bangladesh plans to bring in 163 uranium assemblies for Unit Two in seven cargo consignments. A further 48 uranium assemblies, in two cargo consignments, are planned for refuelling Unit One. Tuesday's delivery was identified as the third fuel consignment for Unit Two.

Seven more flights carrying uranium shipments from Russia are expected to arrive in Bangladesh during November and December. The planned transit route includes Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Pakistan, Afghanistan and India.

Russia's state nuclear corporation Rosatom has said it aims to complete the overall fuel-delivery process by December.

Combined capacity of 2,400 megawatts

The two units of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant have a combined planned generation capacity of 2,400 megawatts. Completion of fuel delivery and installation will allow further commissioning and subsequent power-generation activities to proceed.

However, delivery of fuel to the project site, loading it into the reactor, commissioning tests and supplying electricity to the national grid are separate stages. The arrival of this shipment does not, by itself, mean that the plant has begun generating electricity.

//DBTech/RKE/SME/MIST//