Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant’s first unit likely to begin operation in November: Minister

Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hasan Mahmood Tuku has said the first unit of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant is expected to become operational in November.

He made the remarks while speaking to reporters after visiting the headquarters of Power Grid Bangladesh PLC (PGCB) in the capital's Aftabnagar on Friday (June 12).

Tuku said preparations are underway to commission the first unit of the country’s maiden nuclear power plant within the targeted timeframe.

“We do not have much time left. Work is being coordinated with all relevant stakeholders to ensure the first unit can be launched in November,” he said.

The minister also acknowledged that capacity payments continue to place significant financial pressure on the power sector, a challenge inherited from previous administrations.

He noted that immediate decisions on the issue are not possible because the matter is linked to existing legal and contractual obligations.

“The Ministry of Law is reviewing the relevant agreements. Necessary measures will be taken after examining the contracts and legal aspects,” he said.

Highlighting structural weaknesses in the power sector, the minister said electricity generation and transmission capacity have expanded considerably over the years, but distribution infrastructure has not kept pace.

As a result, uninterrupted electricity supply remains difficult in many areas despite improvements in production and transmission systems.

He said previous governments focused heavily on expanding electricity access across the country, but insufficient coordination among generation, transmission and distribution networks created persistent bottlenecks.

“Many regions continue to experience prolonged outages due to unplanned expansion of distribution lines. The core challenge now lies in the distribution system,” he said.

The minister added that discussions with PGCB officials focused on identifying practical solutions to improve grid reliability and strengthen the overall power distribution network.

Once operational, the first unit of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant is expected to significantly boost Bangladesh’s electricity generation capacity and enhance long-term energy security.