Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant: Who's responsible for the delays, cost overruns and mismanagement?

It was originally planned that the first unit of the under-construction Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant would generate 1,200 megawatts of electricity in 2023, and the second unit would produce another 1,200 megawatts the following year. However, the project has already fallen more than three years behind schedule. Because of this delay, Bangladesh is currently paying an additional interest of about Tk 10–12 crore per day to Russia’s Rosatom, the company implementing the project.

Whether Russia or Bangladesh is responsible for this delay is something the relevant authorities can explain better. As far as I know, this is a turnkey project. In other words, according to the agreement, the implementing organisation is supposed to complete construction within the stipulated time and hand over the project to the purchasing party. That is the usual practice. But if construction is not completed within the timeframe specified in the contract, it is natural to ask why Bangladesh should bear the burden of additional interest due to the delay.

It is often heard that electricity generation from the first unit of Rooppur will begin in a particular month. However, no similarly clear timeline is visible regarding the second unit. There should be a limit to delays in project implementation. Again, if the delay is due to any internal issues within Bangladesh, that too needs to be examined transparently.
For a long time, it was said that the plant could not be commissioned because the power transmission lines were not ready. However, for the past few months, it has again been reported that the transmission lines are now prepared.

Now let us turn to the economic risks caused by this delay. Due to inflation, the project cost is steadily increasing. The cost of electricity production per unit, which was estimated at around Tk 6 in 2023 (assuming the exchange rate of the US dollar at Tk 80 at the time), has now risen to around Tk 10 (assuming the exchange rate of the dollar at Tk 122 in 2026). Moreover, because of the prolonged delay, the effective operational lifespan of the equipment is also gradually being reduced.

Since electricity generation has not yet begun, the additional burden of paying salaries and allowances for around 1,800 personnel is also falling on state revenue. Most importantly, had the project been operational on time, Bangladesh would not have needed to import fossil fuels equivalent to the generation of 2,400 megawatts of electricity. As a result, the pressure on the foreign exchange reserves would also have been lower.

So far, the discussion has focused on the delay of the project and its economic risks. Now let us turn to the management of the project.
A nuclear power plant is not merely a high-technology infrastructure project. It is essentially a high-risk system that depends on human competence, decision-making, and integrity. According to internationally recognised principles, the foundation of nuclear safety rests on the quality of human resource management.

From this perspective, the recent questions and dissatisfaction surrounding human resource management at the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant have created deep concern. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) consistently advises its member states that recruitment, promotion, and leadership selection at nuclear power plants must be carried out strictly on the basis of merit, competence, and relevant experience.

The agency’s guidelines also state that where there is a lack of transparency, fairness, integrity, and professionalism in human resource management, the practice of a strong safety culture inevitably weakens. This, in turn, can lead to faulty decision-making, lack of accountability, delays in project implementation, and various institutional risks, which ultimately may place nuclear safety itself at risk.

Recently, a high-level expert team from the International Atomic Energy Agency noted shortcomings in the practice of safety culture in its pre-safety evaluation report for the first unit of the Rooppur plant.
In the country’s most expensive and technologically complex project, it is everyone’s expectation that an independent, merit-based, and long-term sustainable human resource structure will be developed. However, for quite some time it has been observed that various allegations regarding recruitment, training, seniority, experience, and international training opportunities in the human resource management of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant have been appearing in the media.

There have even been instances where many young and experienced engineers and scientific officers working there were dismissed without any explanation. Recently, in response to a writ petition filed over allegations of corruption and recruitment fraud in the Rooppur project, the Honorable High Court ordered the formation of an investigation committee led by the Secretary of the Ministry of Science and Technology.

As a result, an atmosphere of frustration and distrust has developed within the project, which is in no way desirable for a nuclear facility. Many have already resigned voluntarily or moved abroad, while others are actively seeking opportunities to leave the country.

If the officials for whom thousands of crores of taka were spent on training in Russia leave one by one, an important question arises: what will happen to the sustainable human resource structure of the Rooppur project? No such precedent can be found among the approximately 440 nuclear power plants operating in 32 countries around the world.

According to the International Atomic Energy Agency, this represents an inherent institutional weakness which may not be immediately visible but can gradually become a major source of risk over time. We must remember that accidents such as Chernobyl or Fukushima were not caused solely by technological failures; weak management, inadequate supervision, insufficient training, and flawed decision-making also played crucial roles.

The possible consequences of this situation are multidimensional. First, safety risks may increase. In a nuclear power plant, the consequences of a single wrong decision can affect many generations. Second, there is a risk of losing skilled manpower. When merit and hard work are not properly recognised, capable engineers and experts are often compelled to leave the country or the project. Third, the country’s credibility in the international arena may also come under question.

From my long experience, it appears that due to a lack of proper oversight regarding efficient and sustainable human resource management from the very beginning of the project, the guidelines of the International Atomic Energy Agency and international best practices have not been fully followed. If a transparent human resource structure and competent leadership cannot be ensured in this project — which costs nearly 15 billion dollars including ancillary expenses — it may have long-term implications for the safe operation and maintenance of the plant in the future.

In this context, what should be done?

First, an independent, internationally standard human resource audit of the Rooppur project is urgently needed. In light of the guidelines of the International Atomic Energy Agency, the structure, recruitment, and promotion processes of the Nuclear Power Plant Company should be re-evaluated through a multidisciplinary committee.

Second, clear standards of competence and experience must be defined for each position and followed transparently.

Third, to strengthen the practice of safety culture, a working environment must be created where a junior officer can raise safety-related concerns and have them viewed positively. Others should also be encouraged to ask questions so that potential problems can be examined in depth and properly resolved.

The most important issue, however, is a change in mindset. In a nuclear power plant, loyalty or administrative proximity should not be the criteria; rather, competence, integrity, and professionalism must be the primary standards. If the state truly wants to develop Rooppur into a sustainable, safe, and internationally standard project, there is no longer room for delay in reforming human resource management and addressing the related problems.

The Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant could become a symbol of possibility for Bangladesh — if the highest authorities of the state ensure close oversight of the project. In reality, success will ultimately depend more on people than on technology — on their honest leadership, professionalism, and competence, and on how we select, evaluate, and place trust in those individuals.

* Md. Shafiqul Islam is Professor, Department of Nuclear Engineering, University of Dhaka; Former Visiting Professor, Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering, MIT, USA Email: [email protected]

* The views expressed here are the author’s own.