Bangladesh has commenced a decisive phase in its entry into nuclear power generation, with the start of uranium fuel loading into the reactor core of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant in Pabna on Tuesday. With this development, Bangladesh is set to become the 33rd country in the world to utilise nuclear energy for electricity production.
The fuel loading process marks the final major stage before commercial electricity generation. Once the uranium fuel assemblies are inserted into the reactor core, nuclear fission will generate heat. This heat will convert water into steam, which will drive turbines to produce electricity.
Officials from the Ministry of Science and Technology, Bangladesh stated that this phase precedes gradual commissioning and phased testing. Experimental electricity generation will begin in stages, with supply to the national grid expected to start in August, initially at around 300 megawatts.
The inauguration ceremony is expected to be attended by Fakir Mahbub Anam, Science and Technology Minister, and Rehan Asif Asad, Science and Technology Adviser to the Prime Minister. Alexei Likhachev, Director General of Rosatom, is also scheduled to attend, while Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), will join virtually.
The Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant is the largest single infrastructure project in Bangladesh’s history. It is being implemented under the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission with technical and construction support from Russia’s Atomstroyexport. The facility comprises two units, each with a capacity of 1,200 megawatts.
Project Overview
| Component |
Details |
| Location |
Rooppur, Pabna, Bangladesh |
| Total capacity |
2 × 1,200 MW (2,400 MW) |
| Operator |
Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission |
| Main contractor |
Atomstroyexport (Russia) |
| Fuel type |
Uranium-based nuclear fuel |
| Fuel assemblies per reactor |
163 (164 delivered including spare) |
| Fuel cycle duration |
Approximately 18 months per loading |
The uranium fuel used in the reactor is composed of ceramic pellets made from uranium oxide, which are inserted into metal tubes to form fuel rods. Multiple rods are assembled into fuel assemblies, each containing 312 fuel rods. A total of 163 assemblies will be loaded into the first reactor unit.
According to project officials, fuel delivery to Bangladesh began in September 2023, followed by further shipments. The fuel was transported to Rooppur under strict security arrangements and has been stored on site since October 2023. With its receipt, Bangladesh formally entered the list of nuclear power-using states.
The commissioning process will proceed gradually. Fuel loading is expected to take around 30 days, followed by testing and initial reactor physics experiments lasting approximately 34 days. Power output will then be increased step by step—3%, 5%, 10%, 20%, and 30%—over a further period of about 40 days before connection to the national grid.
Full commercial operation is expected after extended testing and regulatory clearances, with the entire commissioning phase potentially lasting up to ten months.
Project officials and the Ministry of Science and Technology have stated that the plant will supply between 10% and 12% of Bangladesh’s electricity demand once fully operational. They also emphasise its long operational lifespan of up to 60 years, extendable to 90 years with maintenance and upgrades.
The project was initially conceptualised in 1961, revived after independence, and formalised through an intergovernmental agreement between Bangladesh and the Russian Federation in 2011. A general contract for construction, equipment supply, commissioning, and training was signed in 2015.
Despite delays and cost escalation attributed to global supply disruptions, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Russia–Ukraine conflict, officials maintain that fuel loading marks a major milestone towards commissioning the country’s first nuclear power plant.
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