Rooppur plant gets 3rd uranium shipment

PABNA, Oct 21: The third shipment of uranium fuel for Unit 1 of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant reached the project site in Ishwardi, Pabna, on Wednesday morning under tight security, marking another step towards bringing the country's first nuclear power plant into operation.

Site in-charge Ruhul Quddus Tutul said the convoy carrying the nuclear fuel entered the plant premises at 10:03am after travelling by road from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka.

The convoy left the airport at 4:56am, escorted by members of the Bangladesh Army. Personnel from the Special Security Force (SSF), police and intelligence agencies were also deployed to ensure the safe transportation of the sensitive nuclear material.

Security was tightened along the route, with law enforcement personnel stationed at key points to prevent any disruption during the movement of the shipment.

The uranium arrived at the airport on Tuesday night, October 20, aboard a flight carrying fuel for the plant's first unit. Officials from the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority received the consignment before it was transported to the project site under security escort.

The Rooppur plant, being built with Russian technical assistance, has two reactors, each with a generation capacity of 1,200 megawatts, giving it a combined capacity of 2,400MW.

Bangladesh's nuclear regulator approved the first controlled nuclear reaction in Unit 1 on October 8. Further regulatory approvals will be required before electricity can be supplied to the national grid, with trial generation potentially beginning by the end of December.

The arrival of the latest shipment is part of preparations to bring Unit 1 into operation as the country moves towards adding nuclear power to its electricity mix.