Rooppur gets fresh nuclear fuel
The Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP) is moving closer to commercial electricity generation, with its first unit entering the power-startup phase and a fresh consignment of nuclear fuel arriving for the second unit, strengthening preparations for the country’s first nuclear power facility.
The third consignment of uranium for the second unit reached the project site in Pabna on Tuesday morning under tight security, with the authorities targeting an initial supply of at least 300 megawatts of electricity to the national grid from the first unit by the end of this year.
The convoy, carrying the nuclear fuel on three trucks escorted by the Bangladesh Army, entered the plant premises through Dashuria traffic intersection at 7:48am after travelling along the Natore-Kushtia-Pabna highway.
Security was tightened along the route, while traffic on the highway was suspended from 7:30am to 8:00am to ensure the safe and uninterrupted movement of the vehicles.
The consignment arrived at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka from Russia via Delhi, India, on Monday morning aboard a flight operated by Aviacon Zitotrans.
The aircraft carried 41 tonnes of nuclear fuel in 12 transport packages, which officials of the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority (BAERA) subsequently received.
The convoy left Dhaka for the plant in Ishwardi at around 2:30am.
Ashadur Rahman Asad, officer-in-charge of Ishwardi Police Station, said police and other law enforcement agencies provided special security to ensure the convoy reached the project site without traffic congestion.
According to the delivery schedule, nine more flights are expected to transport an additional 48 uranium fuel assemblies for the first unit and 163 for the second unit between November and December.
The consignments are scheduled to travel from Russia to Bangladesh via Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Pakistan, Afghanistan and India.
Meanwhile, the first unit has entered Stage-C, the power-startup phase, after successfully completing B-2 physics tests and other required examinations and activities.
The unit began its nuclear reaction on 11 October, following BAERA’s final approval on 8 October to proceed with the next phase of operations.
Dr Md Zahedul Hasan, managing director of Nuclear Power Plant Company Bangladesh Ltd (NPCBL), said electricity generation would initially begin on a limited scale.
“Generation will gradually increase as the subsequent activities are successfully completed,” he said.
Once the unit reaches 30-35 per cent of its capacity, it will be able to supply electricity to the national grid.
The authorities expect it to begin supplying at least 300 megawatts by the end of this year.
A high-level delegation from Russia’s state-owned nuclear corporation Rosatom also visited the project from 20 to 23 October to review construction progress and the plant’s overall development.
The latest fuel delivery comes as Bangladesh prepares to bring nuclear power into its electricity mix, with the progress of both units remaining central to the project’s operational timeline.
