Russia’s state atomic energy corporation Rosatom has begun delivering nuclear fuel for the initial loading of the VVER-1200 reactor at Unit-2 of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP).
Rosatom announced the developments in a press release issued on Thursday morning.
According to the press release, the first batch of fuel assemblies, manufactured at the Novosibirsk Chemical Concentrates Plant under Rosatom’s Fuel Division, recently arrived in Bangladesh on a special cargo flight.
All fuel shipments required for the first refuelling of Unit-1 have also arrived from Siberia. The fuel will be used after the reactor completes its first fuel cycle.
Upon arrival at the Rooppur plant site, the fuel containers were transferred to a designated fresh nuclear fuel storage facility. All fuel assemblies must undergo mandatory visual and instrumental inspections to ensure they meet technical specifications and nuclear safety requirements.
A joint commission comprising representatives from Bangladesh, the general contractor and the fuel manufacturer will conduct the inspections in strict compliance with nuclear and radiation safety regulations.
In 2026, Rosatom’s Engineering Division completed the initial loading of nuclear fuel into the reactor core of Unit-1. The reactor subsequently reached its minimum controllable power level this month, marking a major milestone towards power generation.
Before the unit can be connected to the national grid and begin trial commercial operation, it must undergo power ascension testing and obtain the necessary approvals from the regulatory authority.
Bangladesh’s first nuclear power plant, Rooppur NPP, has two Russian-designed Generation 3+ VVER-1200 reactors with a combined capacity of 2,400 megawatts (MW).
Rosatom’s Engineering Division is serving as the project’s general designer and general contractor.
