Rosatom brings Bangladesh closer to nuclear era with Rooppur fuel loading

Bangladesh moved closer to becoming a nuclear-powered nation after fuel was loaded into the first reactor at the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, marking the start of the facility’s physical start-up phase.

Alexey Likhachev, director general of Russia’s state nuclear corporation Rosatom, said the project had reached a critical stage with the loading of all 163 fuel assemblies into the reactor core of Unit 1, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

The reactor will next be brought to a minimum controlled power level before output is gradually increased ahead of the energy start-up phase, when electricity generation begins, and power is supplied to the national grid.

Likhachev said the Rooppur plant employs Generation III+ nuclear technology that complies with international safety standards. He highlighted a range of active and passive safety systems, including passive core flooding mechanisms, a multilayer containment structure and a core catcher designed to contain molten reactor material in the event of a severe accident.

Once both 1,200-megawatt reactors enter commercial operation, Bangladesh will add 2,400 MW of generating capacity to its energy system, creating a long-term source of baseload electricity expected to operate for more than 60 years.

According to Rosatom, the plant will be capable of supplying more than 10% of Bangladesh’s electricity demand while increasing the share of low-carbon energy in the country’s power mix to 18%. Annual greenhouse gas emissions are expected to fall by roughly 8 million to 9 million tonnes.

The project is also expected to reduce Bangladesh’s reliance on natural gas-fired power generation at a time when domestic gas reserves are declining and exposure to volatile imported fuel prices is increasing. Stable electricity supplies could support energy-intensive sectors including manufacturing, construction, cement production and metallurgy.

The Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant is the centrepiece of cooperation between Rosatom and Bangladesh. The project began with intergovernmental agreements signed in 2010–2011, followed by the general construction contract in 2015, described as the largest agreement in the history of bilateral cooperation.

Rosatom is delivering the plant and supporting Bangladesh's nuclear industry through technology transfer, training, and operations preparation. More than 1,200 Bangladeshis have already trained at Rosatom enterprises. At peak construction, over 30,000 workers were employed, and more than 21,000 specialists remain involved today, around 80% of them Bangladeshi citizens. After commissioning, the plant is expected to provide stable electricity to approximately 36–37 million people.

By Aghakazim Guliyev