Bangladesh Joins the List of Countries Using Nuclear Energy
The plant is the largest single project in the country's history
By Bhanu Ranjan Chakraborty
DHAKA: The use of nuclear fuel uranium has started in the reactor of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant in Bangladesh.
The program was inaugurated under tight security at the power plant in Ishwardi, Pabna district, on April 28. Through this, Bangladesh has become the 33rd country in the world in the list of countries using nuclear energy.
Officials said that after loading uranium fuel into the reactor vessel of this power plant, heat will be generated from it. That heat will create steam from water and turn the turbine, and electricity will be generated from there.
The Ministry of Science and Technology says that this is the final step before starting commercial power production. Power production will start in stages on an experimental basis. The supply of 300 megawatts of power to the national grid may start next August.
The inauguration ceremony of the fuel entry program was addressed by Science and Technology Minister Fakir Mahbub Anam, Prime Minister’s Science and Technology Advisor Rehan Asif Asad, and Russian Atomic Energy Corporation (Rosatom) Director General Alexei Likhachev. International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Grossi joined the program virtually.
The Science and Technology Minister said that all activities are being carried out in accordance with international standards at this power plant. The fuel entry program has started in accordance with safety protocols. This is a historic moment for Bangladesh and Russia.
At the ceremony, the Prime Minister’s Science and Technology Advisor said that the bilateral agreement with Russia, financing and technical assistance have put this project on a solid foundation. International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Grossi, who joined the inauguration ceremony online, congratulated Bangladesh.
At the time, Russian state-owned nuclear agency Rosatom Director General Alexei Likhachev said that the highest standards have been maintained in this project. Electricity will be supplied from a safe nuclear plant. At the inauguration ceremony, certificates were handed over to local and foreign scientists, engineers and officials in recognition of their work.
At that time, the project workers were overjoyed. The officials concerned told reporters that it may take about three and a half months to complete the process of generating electricity after fueling the reactor.
The Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant is the largest single project in the country’s history. The project is being implemented by the Atomic Energy Commission under the Ministry of Science and Technology. Under this project, two 1,200 MW units are being built by the Russian contractor Atomstroy Export.
The Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission says that the Rooppur Power Plant was recognized as a nuclear facility after nuclear fuel arrived in the project area in October 2023. As soon as the fuel was received, Bangladesh was included in the list of countries with nuclear energy.
Now the use of that energy has started. The project period of the Rooppur Power Plant was until December 2025. Later, the Bangladesh government extended the period until June 2028. The project is costing 1,38,686 crore taka.
