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Another consignment of uranium fuel imported from Russia for the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP) has reached the project site in Ishwardi, Pabna, under tight security.
The shipment arrived at the plant before dawn, with specially designed trucks transporting the nuclear fuel under the supervision of the Bangladesh Army and other law enforcement agencies.
The latest delivery is part of Russia’s planned supply of nuclear fuel for the two units of the country’s first nuclear power plant.
According to the supply plan of Russia’s state-owned nuclear corporation Rosatom, a total of 163 uranium fuel assemblies are being delivered for the initial loading of the plant’s second unit.
Another 48 fuel assemblies are being supplied in two consignments for refuelling the first unit.
The fuel is scheduled to arrive in nine separate consignments by December 2026.
The Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant has two VVER-1200 reactor units, each with a generation capacity of 1,200 megawatts.
Once fully operational, the two units will have a combined capacity of 2,400 megawatts.
Meanwhile, the first unit has entered the power start-up phase, during which its capacity will be gradually increased and various equipment, turbines, generators and safety systems will undergo testing.
Authorities are working towards connecting electricity generated by the first unit to the national grid on a trial basis.
Initially, around 300 megawatts of electricity are expected to be supplied, subject to successful completion of technical tests and regulatory approval.
The latest uranium delivery marks another step towards the commissioning of the Rooppur plant, which is expected to play a significant role in strengthening Bangladesh’s electricity generation capacity.
