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The first unit of Bangladesh’s Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant began its first controlled nuclear chain reaction on Sunday, marking a major milestone towards electricity generation.
The reaction started at 3:34pm, according to Md Anwar Hossain, secretary of the Ministry of Science and Technology.
He said the reactor’s operating parameters remained within the prescribed limits.
The development marks the reactor’s first criticality, when a self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction is established under controlled conditions.
Engineers will now conduct further tests and closely monitor the reactor’s performance, safety systems and operating parameters before gradually increasing its power output.
Located in Ishwardi, Pabna, the Rooppur plant is being built with Russian technical assistance.
Its two reactor units are designed to generate 1,200 megawatts each, giving the facility a combined capacity of 2,400MW.
Electricity generation will begin only after the remaining technical tests and regulatory requirements are completed.
The first unit is expected to initially supply electricity to the national grid on a trial basis.
