Uranium has reached the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant in Ishwardi of Pabna under tight security. The convoy carrying uranium entered the Rooppur project around 12.30 pm on Saturday. Project Director (PD) Dr Karib Hossain confirmed the matter.
The consignment arrived at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on a special cargo flight from Russia via India at around 11.30 pm on Friday. Later, the convoy carrying uranium was taken to Rooppur in Ishwardi of Pabna by road under special security measures. Pranab Kumar Sarkar, additional superintendent of police (ASP) of Ishwardi circle, told Amar Desh that the uranium-laden convoy from Muladuli in Ishwardi was taken inside the Rooppur project under tight security.
According to sources close to the project, the first shipment of the second unit was scheduled to arrive in the country on September 24. But it was not possible to bring the consignment within the stipulated time as Pakistan did not get permission to use the airspace on the way to Bangladesh from Russia. Later, the shipment arrived in the country on Friday under a new schedule in an alternative system. View Map
According to Rosatom's schedule, more nuclear fuel will arrive in the country for two units at Rooppur between October and December. There are plans to bring an additional 48 uranium assemblies for the first unit and 163 uranium assemblies for the second unit in a total of 9 flights. Earlier, the first unit of Rooppur started supplying fuel in October 2024. With the arrival of the first shipment of the second unit, a new phase of fuel supply has begun.
Meanwhile, the commissioning activities of the first unit are also progressing. Recently, the 16 megapascal high pressure test of the safety valve of the unit was successful. There are three more important tests left before we move on to the criticality phase. If these tests are completed on time, there is a possibility of generating electricity from the first unit by the end of this year, said the officials concerned with the project.
Each unit of Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant has a capacity of 1,200 MW. With the commissioning of the two units, a total of 2,400 megawatts of electricity is expected to be added to the national grid. According to the schedule given by Russia, the consignment of uranium was supposed to arrive in Bangladesh on Thursday. However, due to transportation-related complications, the schedule was changed. Earlier, the arrival of several rounds of fuel was delayed from September 24 as Pakistan was not allowed to use its airspace. BangladeshNews
Bangladesh Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority (BAIRA) Chairman Dr Mahmudul Hassan said the fuel could come through China if the route was not allowed. Whichever way it comes, the authorities are ready to take the fuel.
Usually, some uranium assembly needs to be replaced after one to one-and-a-half years of commissioning of a nuclear power plant. The extra fuel required for the first unit of Rooppur is now being brought to Bangladesh. In the meantime, necessary preparations have been completed to transport fuel from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport to Rooppur project area.
Meanwhile, preparations are underway to generate electricity in the first unit of Rooppur along with the arrival of fuel. After nearly two months of effort, the first phase of the automatic pressure relief valve of the first unit has been successful. The test was carried out at a pressure of 16 megapascals. Now the next test will be at 18 megapascals pressure.
On September 28, Russia's state atomic energy corporation Rosatom said the fuel of the second unit of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant was also expected to reach Bangladesh between October and December.
With the arrival of the surplus fuel of the first unit and the successful completion of important technical tests, the preparation for power generation at the Rooppur project has now gone one step further.
