One of the two reactors was on Wednesday loaded with uranium as the multi-billion Roopur Nuclear Power Plant has embarked on the trail production.
The placing of fresh and enriched uranium into the reactor core, the most critical part of commissioning a nuclear plant, began at about 3.30pm at a ceremony on the bank of the River Padma at Iswardi in Pabna, some 250 kilometres from the capital Dhaka.
The launch of the RNPP comes against the backdrop of severe power outages causing people to suffer and businesses to face production losses in the country.
Officials of the science and technology ministry, which is implementing the country’s first nuclear power plant project worth over $12 billion, said that fuel loading process would be completed in a month.
Under the test run over the next two months, about 100 tests and inspections will be carried out before the reactor will be ready for supplying power to the national grid from the first week of August on a commercial basis.
Initially, at least 300 megawatts power will be supplied to the national grid, culminating decade-long efforts by the nation to join the countries with peaceful uses of nuclear energy.
By the financial and technical assistances from Russia, the reactor is expected to generate full capacity of 1200MW from January 2027, while the test run of the other reactor with same capacity is expected to begin in June 2027.
The opening ceremony was chaired by science and technology minister Fakir Mahbub Anam and attended, among others, by adviser Rehan Asif Asad, science and technology ministry secretary Md Anwar Hossain and Rosatom director general Alexey Likhachev.
International Atomic Energy Agency director general Rafael Grossi joined the programme virtually and congratulated Bangladesh to become the 33rd country to achieve the peaceful nuclear power use.
Earlier, a video related to the project implementation was displayed.
Speaking at the event, Fakir Mahbub Anam said, ‘Today, our fuel loading has started from the physical startup of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Project.’
‘This is a glorious day,’ he said.
The trial run has been delayed by at least two years as the implementation of the project has been disrupted by pillow scams, sanction on Russian companies by the United States and exodus of Russian experts from the project site following ouster of the Awami League regime on August 5, 2024.
Conceived before the country’s Independence in 1971, the project got momentum in the past AL regime.
Emphasising on safety issues, Mahbub Anam said that the plant would be the foundations of national energy security as it would not only generate electricity, but also strengthen our technological capabilities, industrialisation, and the transition to clean energy.
Assuring the people of Bangladesh about safety, Alexey Likhachev said the VVER-1200 reactors developed by Rosatom’s engineering department for the plant with the most advanced Russian technology would ensure safe power.
Narrating the key safety systems, including active safety systems, passive safety systems, five layers systems and core catcher, he added that Rosatom would provide support for future needs, including waste management.
Fuel loading reflected the international cooperation and domestic capabilities to use the peaceful nuclear energy, said adviser Rehan Asif Asad.
Once the RNPP project is completed, the plant will be operated by the Nuclear Power Plant Company of Bangladesh or NPCBL, said science and technology ministry officials.
They also said that manpower structure and training had been provided by Russia.
Over 5,000 Russian experts linked to the project implementation will assist three more years before local experts taking over the operation.
Earlier, a survey agreement was signed in 2013 and a construction agreement was signed in 2015.
The lifespan of the power plant is 60 years, but power can be generated for 100 years with the option of extending capacity for 20 years twice.
The government has yet to finalise the electricity tariff for the power from the plant as the cost of nuclear fuel — a key component in pricing — remains undisclosed, said the ministry officials.
State-run Bangladesh Power Development Board, the country’s sole bulk electricity buyer, has been unable to determine the per-unit tariff for power generated from the plant.
As the fuel cost is essential to set the per-unit tariff, science and technology ministry officials said that they would prepare the fuel pricing details soon to finalise both the tariff and a long-pending power purchase agreement with the plant authorities.
