The Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant authorities had long attributed the delay in power generation to the incomplete transmission line. However, the government-owned Power Grid Company of Bangladesh commissioned the transmission line—built to transmit electricity from Rooppur’s first unit—on 2 June.
Although experimental power generation is expected to begin within two months of the commissioning, sources say it may be delayed further by several months.
Insiders at the Rooppur plant report uncertainty surrounding timely production. Since the recent political transition, unrest has grown at the site. Indian experts—who had been assisting with supervision—have been barred from entering the country for six months.
A series of punitive measures, including employee layoffs, have been implemented. Rosatom, the Russian state nuclear corporation overseeing construction, has sent a letter expressing concern over the appointment of inexperienced individuals to key positions.
Bangladesh's first nuclear power plant is under construction in Rooppur, Pabna, with Russian financial and technical assistance. The project is being implemented by the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission under the Ministry of Science and Technology.
As the contractor, Atomstroyexport—a subsidiary of Rosatom—is constructing two 1,200-megawatt units. With a budget of approximately Tk 1.14 trillion, it is the largest single infrastructure project in the country’s history.
Rooppur sources say that Indian experts have been helping supervise construction and facilitate the receipt of equipment from the Russian contractor. These experts visit every six months based on demand from the Bangladeshi side.
The last group arrived in July and departed in December. Since then, Rooppur has not issued a new request for Indian experts, leading to a lack of proper supervision.
However, Rooppur authorities argue that under the agreement, the responsibility for all construction and production lies with Russia. Rosatom brings in foreign experts as needed, and professionals from multiple countries are working at the site. They insist that the decision to bring Indian experts is solely Rosatom’s, not Bangladesh’s.
In August, Rooppur officials and employees raised various demands, protesting discrimination in employment. Multiple rounds of discussions were held with the authorities. On 6 May, workers held a human chain and a press conference in the Ishwardi area outside the project site to voice their demands.
Following this, 18 officials were laid off and 9 were temporarily suspended. Many remaining employees now fear further dismissals. The dismissed officials are reportedly preparing to file a writ petition in the High Court.
Rooppur authorities maintain that salaries at the plant are already two and a half times higher than those at other power plants in the country. They argue that the discontent is unwarranted, especially since the plant has not yet begun production but employees are already receiving maximum benefits. Authorities claim that punitive actions were taken only against those found guilty of misconduct, and without such action, the project could not function properly.
Rosatom's Letter
Those laid off from the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant claim they were hired on the basis of merit. The government reportedly spent around Tk 212.3 million on training 18 of them in Russia. Over the years, they gained experience while receiving government salaries. Yet, without any explanation, they were suddenly dismissed. According to sources, their replacements are not yet adequately trained. Even the Chief Superintendent—responsible for overseeing key technical work at the site—was dismissed. The acting role has now been assigned to Mushfika Ahmed, despite her lack of the required experience.
On 27 May, Rosatom sent a letter to the Chairman of the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission expressing concern over the matter. The letter emphasised that the position of Chief Superintendent is critical at this stage, just before the first unit enters production. This role entails responsibility for all technical and organisational matters related to power generation and also involves leading the production committee. According to Rosatom, the post requires a minimum of 1,072 hours of theoretical training and 340 hours of on-the-job training, along with other specialised skills. A candidate is eligible to take full charge only after at least one year of acquiring these qualifications.
Mokabbir Hossain, Chairman of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant Company and Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Science and Technology, told Prothom Alo, “Those who caused nuisance have been dismissed. If anyone causes trouble again, similar action will be taken. The government is taking a strict stance. This is not a ready-made garment factory—it is a highly sensitive institution. Moreover, we have trained additional personnel, so there will be no disruption in operations.”
Production May Be Delayed Further
Stakeholders note that the schedule for power generation from the Rooppur plant has already been delayed multiple times. Production from the first unit was initially expected to begin in December 2023, later pushed to December 2024, and is now facing further delays. Similarly, the second unit, once scheduled for December 2024, is now expected to begin production no earlier than 2027. The original project timeline ran from July 2016 to December 2025, but it was extended last year to December 2027. However, under the terms of the contract, the project cost cannot be increased even if the timeline is extended.
Officials involved in the project said that in September, ‘dummy’ fuel was inserted into the reactor vessel to conduct initial tests. With the transmission line now completed, nuclear fuel will be introduced into the reactor within the next two months.
Fuel loading itself takes about a month. After that, the plant will begin generating electricity in small batches while various tests are conducted. Commercial production from the first unit may begin sometime next year, but officials say this timeline is still uncertain.
Mokabbir Hossain noted that full-scale power supply could begin by December, but emphasised that this depends on the successful completion of all required testing.
However, experts point out that once fuel is introduced, experimental production will continue for at least six months. During this period, numerous tests must be completed and international certifications obtained. Therefore, commercial production before next year is unlikely.
Shafiqul Islam, professor at the Department of Nuclear Engineering at Dhaka University, told Prothom Alo, “Even after a two-year delay, there is still no certainty about when the Rooppur project will be operational. This is deeply disappointing.
At present, Rooppur lacks the necessary environment to manage a nuclear facility safely. The risk of nuclear accidents remains, and proper safety protocols are not yet in place. It will take several more months of testing and preparation before production can begin. The current government does not appear to be prioritising this project.
Unfortunately, the current situation is tarnishing the country’s image. If the crisis continues, the construction, operation, and maintenance of nuclear power plants will face genuine uncertainty. This could also lead to an increase in the overall cost of the project.”