Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant's fuel loading to begin on April 28

The long-awaited fuel loading process at the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant in Ishwardi Upazila is set to begin on April 28, marking a key milestone toward the country’s first nuclear power generation.

The announcement was made by Anwar Hossain, secretary of the Ministry of Science and Technology. "The process will formally initiate the plant’s power generation phase," he said.

Due to time constraints, neither the Prime Minister nor the President of Russia is expected to attend the opening ceremony.

However, Science and Technology Minister Fakir Mahbub Anam and a high-level Russian delegation will be present at the site to inaugurate the fuel loading activity.

Officials said electricity generation from the first unit could begin supplying around 300 megawatts to the national grid by late July or early August, while full commercial operation is expected by the end of this year or early next year.

Earlier, the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority (BAERA) granted the commissioning license for the first unit on April 16, clearing the way for fuel loading.

According to Dr. Md. Zahidul Hasan, managing director of Nuclear Power Plant Company Bangladesh Limited, the fuel loading process will take 30 to 40 days, followed by multiple phases of testing and final safety validation.

Located on the banks of the Padma River, the $12.65 billion project is being built with Russian technical and financial assistance. Once both VVER-1200 reactors are operational, the plant will have a total capacity of 2,400 megawatts, contributing nearly 10 per cent of Bangladesh’s national electricity demand.