Bangladesh becomes 33rd country to posses nuclear power facility

Bangladesh officially joined the global nuclear elite on Tuesday as fuel loading commenced at the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, making it the 33rd country in the world to possess a nuclear power facility. 

The initiation of uranium loading into the first unit marks a historic transition from construction to the operational phase of the nation's most ambitious energy project.

The process began after 3:00 PM in Pabna's Ishwardi upazila, where 163 fuel assemblies are being installed into the reactor core. According to Project In-charge Ruhul Quddus, the operation is being carried out by specialized Russian experts with oversight from Bangladeshi engineers. 

Anwar Hossain, Secretary of the Ministry of Science and Technology, stated that the full loading process for the first unit will take approximately 45 days. "We expect at least 300 MW of electricity to be added to the national grid by late July or early August," Hossain said. 

He added that the first unit is projected to reach its full 1,200 MW capacity by the end of this year or early next year.

The $12.65 billion mega-project, situated on the banks of the Padma River, has been developed with significant financial and technical assistance from Russia’s Rosatom. The plant features two VVER-1200 reactors, which will eventually generate a combined 2,400 MW, meeting more than 10 percent of Bangladesh’s total electricity demand.

The ceremony was marked by the high-profile arrival of Rosatom Director General Alexey Likhachev, who traveled from Russia with an 18-member delegation. Before heading to the site, Likhachev met with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman in Dhaka. 

Science and Technology Minister Fakir Mahbub Anam, along with senior Russian officials, formally inaugurated the fuel loading process at the plant, signaling a new chapter in Bangladesh's energy security and industrial development.