Fuel loading to begin on April 7 at Unit-1 of RNPP
Fuel loading at Unit-1 of the country’s first nuclear power facility, the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP) is set to begin on April 7. Officials expect that electricity generated from the plant will be supplied to the national grid by July this year.
Preparations are underway to inaugurate the fuel loading activities under the overall supervision and guidance of the Ministry of Science and Technology.
According to ministry sources, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and Russian President Vladimir Putin will virtually inaugurate the fuel loading program from the National Science and Technology Complex (Novo Theatre) in Dhaka.
Secretary of the Ministry of Science and Technology, Md. Anwar Hossain, told The New Nation on Wednesday (March 18) that the Russian contractor has formally informed the government that fuel loading in Unit-1 will commence on April 7. He said, “We expect to start electricity generation by July and supply at least 300 megawatts to the national grid.”
He also added that high-level representatives from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Russia’s state nuclear corporation, Rosatom, will be present during the fuel loading process.
Project officials said that all preparatory work for Unit-1 will be completed by March 27. Following this, the commissioning process, including fuel loading, will officially begin.
Meanwhile, a massive round of activities is ongoing at the project site to prepare for fuel loading. Leave for employees working under the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission, Bangladesh Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority, and Nuclear Power Plant Company Bangladesh Limited (NPCBL) has already been canceled for Eid-ul-Fitr.
According to an office order (No. 106/2026) signed on March 15 by Mohammad Mizanur Rahman, Director (Administration, Deputy Secretary) of the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission, all leave for officials and employees has been suspended until further notice to ensure the smooth and safe execution of the fuel loading inauguration ceremony scheduled for April 7, 2026.
Dr. Zayedul Hasan, Managing Director of NPCBL, said, “Important preparatory activities have already been successfully completed. Preparations for the physical startup, including fuel loading, have been taken with the highest priority given to safety, security, and safeguards.”
He expressed hope that 300 megawatts of electricity will be supplied to the national grid from Unit-1 by July, gradually increasing to 1,000 megawatts by December.
It is worth mentioning that the Rooppur Nuclear Power Project includes two Generation III+ VVER-1200 reactors from Russia. Each unit will have a capacity of 1,200 megawatts, making a total production capacity of 2,400 megawatts. The reactors are capable of meeting all international safety standards. The project is being implemented by Russia’s state nuclear corporation, Rosatom.
