The nation has taken a significant step towards nuclear energy generation, as fuel loading begins today at the country’s first nuclear power plant, marking the start of the final phase before electricity generation.
The Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant is expected to be connected to the national grid by August. Officials say that, following initial testing, the first unit could begin supplying at least 300 megawatts of electricity within the next three and a half months.
The government aims to bring the first unit to full capacity by the end of this year or early next year, according to Science and Technology Secretary Md Anwar Hossain.
Once fully operational, the plant’s two units will generate a combined 2,400 megawatts, accounting for more than 10% of the country’s electricity demand.
Fuel loading and testing phase
Md Zahedul Hasan, managing director of Nuclear Power Plant Company Bangladesh Limited, said the fuel loading process into the reactor is expected to take between 30 and 40 days.
“After loading the fuel, we will conduct a series of tests to prepare the final safety analysis report,” he said.
The inauguration of the fuel loading process will be attended by Science and Technology Minister Faqir Mahbub Anam, along with senior representatives from Russia.
Bangladesh Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority granted the commissioning licence for the first unit on 16 April, formally clearing the way for fuel loading.
Technology and capacity
Located on the banks of the Padma River in Ishwardi, the project has been built at a cost of $12.65 billion. It uses two VVER-1200 reactors, a modern Russian nuclear technology.
The Grid Company of Bangladesh has already completed the necessary transmission infrastructure to handle electricity generated from the first unit.
Officials have also set a target to begin full-capacity generation from the first unit by December, while construction of the second unit is progressing rapidly.
Power shortages and expectations
According to data from the Power Division as of 16 April 2026, Bangladesh has a total installed generation capacity of 32,332 megawatts across 136 power plants, including captive and renewable sources. Of this, grid-based capacity stands at 28,919 megawatts.
However, actual generation has so far peaked at just over 16,000 megawatts. Bangladesh also imports 1,600 megawatts of electricity from India’s Adani Power under an agreement.
This leaves a shortfall of around 2,000 to 3,000 megawatts between demand and supply.
Minister Faqir Mahbub Anam said the government aims to supply 1,000 megawatts to the national grid from Rooppur by the end of the year, gradually increasing to full capacity.
Experts urge caution
Despite the progress, experts warn that commercial electricity generation may take longer than official projections suggest.
Md Shafiqul Islam, a professor of nuclear engineering at the University of Dhaka, said it could take between six months and a year after fuel loading to begin full commercial operations.
“After the test phase begins, the plant may even be shut down temporarily,” he said. “But once commercial production starts, it will run continuously in cycles of around one and a half years.”
He explained that the plant operates through nuclear fission, where uranium atoms split to produce heat. This heat is used to convert water into high-pressure steam, which drives turbines to generate electricity in a controlled chain reaction.
Safety and regulation
Nuclear power generation is considered highly sensitive worldwide, requiring strict adherence to safety standards set by international bodies such as the International Atomic Energy Agency.
The Rooppur plant has five layers of safety protection: fuel pellets, fuel cladding, reactor pressure vessel, and two containment structures. These systems are designed to control radiation, prevent accidents and withstand natural disasters.
Pretam Kumar Das, a professor at Pabna University of Science and Technology, stressed the importance of continuous monitoring.
“Given the sensitivity of the project, safety must be ensured with absolute vigilance,” he said.
Officials say all required technical tests and preparatory work were completed before the commissioning licence was issued, and that international standards have been followed.
Zahedul Hasan said maintaining safety and technical standards in line with international guidelines had been one of the biggest challenges, but that the first unit is now fully ready for commissioning.
A total of 59 Bangladeshi specialists have already obtained operating licences after passing rigorous international assessments.
Delays and rising costs
The project began in 2013 with support from Russia’s state nuclear agency Rosatom.
When construction of the first and second units was launched in 2017 and 2018 respectively, electricity generation was initially expected to begin in 2022 and 2023.
However, delays caused by Covid-19 pandemic, Russia–Ukraine war and setbacks in building transmission lines pushed back the timeline. The project deadline has now been extended to 2027.
Inflation linked to these delays has added an estimated Tk 26,000 crore to the project cost, on top of an initial $11.38 billion loan-based investment. Total costs could rise further once interest is included.
Transmission line delays were a major factor, though the Grid Company of Bangladesh says four lines for the first unit were completed by May 2025—two linking Rooppur to Baghabari, one to Bogura and one to Gopalganj, each with a capacity of 400 megawatts.
Building local expertise
Significant progress has also been made in developing human resources. Between 2018 and 2023, around 1,800 personnel were recruited, and 1,100 received training both in Bangladesh and Russia.
Currently, about 5,000 Russian specialists and 20,000 Bangladeshi workers are involved in the project. Experts from several other countries, including India and Belarus, are also working on the project.
Authorities say skilled local personnel have been prepared to operate the plant, and responsibility will gradually be transferred to Bangladeshi experts.
A new chapter
As the country prepares to bring nuclear power into its energy mix, the Rooppur project represents both a major technological step and a complex operational challenge.
While officials are optimistic about easing power shortages, experts emphasise that careful testing, strict safety oversight and time will be crucial before the plant reaches full commercial operation.
