Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant: Bangladesh moves towards nuclear electricity generation

Bangladesh is embarking on the final stage of utilising nuclear energy for electricity generation. Today, Tuesday, marks the beginning of uranium fuel loading into the reactor core of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP). With this milestone, Bangladesh is set to become the 33rd country in the world to use nuclear power.

Once uranium fuel is inserted into the reactor vessel, it will generate heat through nuclear fission. This heat will convert water into steam, which in turn will drive turbines to produce electricity. The fuel loading process for the reactor core of the plant’s first unit, located in Rooppur, Pabna, is commencing today.

The Ministry of Science and Technology states that this represents the final stage before commercial electricity generation begins. Following this, electricity production will commence gradually on a trial basis. It is expected that approximately 300 megawatts of electricity will be supplied to the national grid by August.

Dignitaries expected to attend the fuel loading inauguration ceremony include Science and Technology Minister Fakir Mahbub Anam, the Prime Minister’s Science and Technology Adviser Rehan Asif Asad, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi, and Director General of Russia’s state nuclear corporation Rosatom, Alexey Likhachev.

The Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant is the largest single infrastructure project in the country’s history. It is being implemented by the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission under the Ministry of Science and Technology. The project involves the construction of two units, each with a capacity of 1,200 megawatts, by Russian contractor Atomstroyexport.

According to the Secretary of the Ministry of Science and Technology, Md Anwar Hossain, Rooppur will provide electricity at a lower cost compared to fossil fuels and ensure long-term energy supply. It is expected to meet 10–12 per cent of the country’s electricity demand, making its economic value highly significant.

He further noted that a skilled workforce has already been developed, and trial electricity supply to the national grid is expected by the third week of August.

The Ministry and the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission state that the plant officially attained the status of a nuclear installation after the arrival of nuclear fuel at the project site in October 2023. Bangladesh was effectively included in the list of nuclear-capable countries upon receipt of the fuel, and today marks the commencement of its utilisation.

The first consignment of nuclear fuel arrived in Dhaka from Russia by air on 28 September 2023. Additional consignments followed, and in October, the fuel was transported to Rooppur by road under tight security. Since then, the fuel has been stored at the site.

The nuclear energy programme in Bangladesh dates back to 1961. After land acquisition in Rooppur, the project was cancelled by the then Pakistani government. Following independence, the initiative was revived.

In 1995, the National Energy Policy identified nuclear power as a potential alternative energy source. In 2011, Bangladesh and the Russian Federation signed an intergovernmental cooperation agreement.

Under this agreement, in December 2015, a general contract was signed between the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission and Russia’s Atomstroyexport for the construction of the nuclear power plant.

The contract covers construction, equipment supply and installation, commissioning, test operation, staff training, and the initial supply of nuclear fuel for three years.

Project officials report that construction of the two reactor units is nearing completion. Transmission infrastructure for electricity evacuation from the first unit has also been finalised. All stages prior to fuel loading have been completed in accordance with international standards. The trial production phase may last up to one year, during which extensive testing will continue under the supervision of international agencies and national nuclear authorities.

Nuclear fuel used in power plants is derived from uranium. First, uranium oxide is processed into small pellet-shaped fuel elements. These pellets are typically 8 to 15 millimetres in diameter and 10 to 15 millimetres in length.

A large number of such pellets are arranged inside a metal tube approximately four metres long, forming a fuel rod. Multiple rods are then assembled into a structured unit known as a fuel bundle or fuel assembly. Each fuel assembly used in Rooppur contains 312 fuel rods.

For power generation, these fuel assemblies are placed in the reactor core. The first unit of Rooppur is designed to use 163 fuel assemblies at a time. A total of 164 assemblies, including one additional unit, were delivered to Bangladesh in 2023. Once loaded, a fuel cycle lasts approximately 18 months.

Spent nuclear fuel remains highly radioactive and is therefore will be returned to Russia under strict security arrangements. The International Atomic Energy Agency will maintain oversight and records of each fuel assembly.

A nuclear power plant can generate continuous electricity at a stable output round the clock. Fresh fuel is required approximately every one and a half years. Refuelling, waste removal, and maintenance may require a shutdown of up to two months per unit.

According to Rooppur project sources, fuel loading alone will take around 30 days under strict international safety protocols and continuous monitoring. Following this, another 34 days will be required for testing and controlled reactor operation.

Subsequently, reactor power will be gradually increased in stages—3, 5, 10, 20, and 30 per cent capacity. This phase may take an additional 40 days. Once 30 per cent capacity is achieved, electricity can be supplied to the national grid.

Full integration into the grid and stable operation is expected to take approximately 10 months, ensuring complete safety compliance.

Bangladesh’s electricity demand continues to grow. Alongside renewable energy, nuclear power is being considered a long-term, sustainable, and environmentally friendly energy source.

Compared to coal-based power plants, Rooppur is expected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 20 million tonnes annually. Compared to gas-based plants, emissions will be reduced by around 8 million tonnes.

Approximately 2,500 people have been employed at the plant, while 20,000–25,000 workers were engaged daily during peak construction.

Under the contract, the cost of nuclear fuel for the first three years is approximately Tk 30 billion (3,000 crore), averaging Tk 10 billion (1,000 crore) per year. Producing an equivalent amount of electricity would require around 10 million tonnes of coal or 190 million gallons of fuel oil annually.

Coal and oil-fired power plants typically have a lifespan of 25 to 30 years, whereas nuclear power plants can operate for up to 60 years, extendable by a further 30 years with proper maintenance and refurbishment.

Under the original contract, the first unit was scheduled for completion in October 2023 and the second in October 2024, with the project due to finish by December 2025.

Revised agreements, signed on 20 June last year, have extended deadlines to 31 December 2026 for the first unit and 31 December 2027 for the second. Last January, a further six-month extension pushed the project timeline to June 2028.

While contractual costs have not increased, depreciation of the dollar has raised overall project expenditure by approximately Tk 260 billion (26,000 crore). The total cost is now estimated at about Tk 1.39 trillion (138,686 crore).

Officials attribute delays to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Russia–Ukraine war, complications in financial transactions, logistical challenges in importing equipment, visa issues for experts, and foreign currency shortages.

This has led to delays in project implementation. Under the project financing arrangement, Bangladesh is required to contribute 10 per cent of the total annual allocation for the Rooppur project. However, due to a shortage of foreign currency, these payments have not been made regularly.

Professor Shafiqul Islam of the Department of Nuclear Engineering at Dhaka University told Prothom Alo that commissioning a single unit of RNPP could have saved approximately US$1 billion annually in fuel imports. However, the project has been delayed by around three and a half years.

He further noted that the entire process, from fuel loading to electricity generation, is complex and requires careful testing and verification. According to him, it may take an additional year to begin commercial production, and any further delay beyond this would be unacceptable.

While fuel loading represents a significant milestone, he emphasised that the true achievement of nuclear power will only be realised once electricity is delivered to consumers.