Fresh fuel loading at Rooppur Power Plant unit-1 likely on Nov 6

Fresh fuel loading at unit-1 of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP) is expected to begin in early November, marking the final countdown to the commissioning of Bangladesh's first nuclear power facility by year-end, according to senior officials.

"We are working to complete all the necessary tests, aiming to load fresh fuel into unit-1 by November 6," said Engineer Md Ashraful Islam, site director of RNPP.

Once fuel is loaded, it will take another 45 to 50 days to bring the 2,400-megawatt power plant operational, he said.

"We've already completed most machinery tests for unit-1. Now, safety tests are underway," Ashraful Islam added.

However, the launch of the 1,200MW unit-1 will depend on the final report of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

According to Dr Kabir Hossain, project director of RNPP, a 14-member pre-OSART team from the IAEA is scheduled to arrive on August 10 for inspection.

"They will assess all preparations and safety protocols in accordance with international standards. We'll proceed to the next stage once the report is received," he said, noting that the plant's commissioning hinges on the IAEA's final findings.

Russian state-owned Rosatom -- a global leader in the nuclear industry -- is constructing the 2,400MW facility using two VVER-1200 reactors at a cost of $12.65 billion.

Originally, unit-1 was slated to go into operation on December 23, 2022, followed by unit-2 on December 27, 2023. However, the timeline was disrupted by several setbacks, including the Covid-19 outbreak in 2020.

On June 20 this year, Bangladesh and Russia -- who is financing most of the project through a soft loan -- signed a three-year extension agreement.

Under the revised timeline, provisional takeover of unit-1 is expected on December 31, 2026, and unit-2 on December 31, 2027.