Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant set for December trial run
IAEA recommendations are being implemented now, says Science and Technology Adviser Salehuddin Ahmed
Bangladesh is on the cusp of a historic energy milestone: the trial run of the nation's first-ever nuclear power plant, the $12.65 billion Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant.
If the ambitious schedule holds, the plant in the Pabna district will begin test operations in December this year, with one of its two 1,200-megawatt reactors going online. The launch will finally put the massive Russian-built project to the test and cement Bangladesh's entry into the exclusive 31-member global club of nuclear power producers – a rare achievement for a developing nation.
The project, constructed and supplied by Russia's state-owned Rosatom, has faced numerous delays, but officials confirm that nuclear fuel has already been delivered to the site, and key system tests are now underway.
"We had requested a November launch, but the Russian side informed us it will start in December," Science and Technology and Finance Adviser Salehuddin Ahmed told TBS today. The government has been pressing Rosatom to stick to this revised year-end deadline.
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Major hurdles cleared, but tariff remains unclear
A critical operational bottleneck was resolved when the Power Grid Company of Bangladesh (PGCB) successfully commissioned the dedicated high-voltage transmission line on 2 June this year. The absence of this evacuation line was previously cited as the main reason for the project's delays.
Officials at the Ministry of Science and Technology noted that beyond the transmission line, progress was also slowed by site unrest following the political change on 5 August 2024, the temporary absence of foreign experts, and a series of employee layoffs.
However, a significant question mark remains over the cost of the electricity from Rooppur. Adviser Salehuddin admitted that the final tariff has not been determined. A technical committee under the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC) has submitted its report, and the final pricing numbers are expected to be circulated to stakeholders for discussion within two weeks.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) mandates strict safety and regulatory protocols before the trial or commercial operation of a nuclear power plant.
At Bangladesh's request, the IAEA's Pre-Operational Safety Review Team (Pre-OSART) reviewed Rooppur Unit 1 in August, praising safety commitment and offering improvement recommendations, which are now being implemented, according to officials.
According to IAEA data as of June 2025, some 31 countries operate nuclear power plants, with 416 reactors and a total installed net capacity of 376 gigawatts. The top five users are the USA, France, China, Russia, and South Korea. The USA has the highest number of reactors, with 94. In South Asia, India was the first to introduce nuclear power, followed by Pakistan, with Bangladesh being the third country in the region to do so.
High-voltage transmission line ready
For months, RNPP officials cited the absence of a dedicated transmission line as the main reason for delays in bringing the plant online. This bottleneck was resolved when the Power Grid Company of Bangladesh successfully commissioned the high-voltage line on 2 June this year, designed to evacuate electricity from Rooppur's first unit.
Officials say this clears a major operational hurdle, paving the way for the upcoming trial operation and eventual full-scale commercial output.
Md Anwar Hossain, secretary of the Ministry of Science and Technology, which oversees RNPP construction, said, "The transmission line to evacuate power from the first unit has been completed."
Ministry officials added that, apart from delays in the transmission line, progress was also slowed by site unrest after the political change on 5 August 2024, the absence of foreign experts, and a series of employee layoffs.
Pre-commissioning tests underway
The RNPP is undergoing rigorous tests to ensure safety, reliability, and regulatory compliance before trial operation and final approval for commercial operation.
These tests are conducted in two stages – before and after fuel loading – to confirm that every system functions correctly under both normal and emergency conditions.
Science Secretary Md Anwar Hossain said, "All necessary tests are being conducted in line with established protocols. Some major tests are already complete, and the remaining ones will be finished according to the planned timeline."
He also noted that the ministry has urged Rosatom, the Russian state-owned nuclear corporation and main contractor of the plant, to expedite work, emphasising that "plenty of time has already been lost, and the power plant operation must be completed on schedule."
Tests RNPP is undergoing now
Before a nuclear plant begins trial operation or commissioning, the IAEA requires the host country to follow strict safety and regulatory protocols to ensure safe operation. This includes verifying that all measurement devices, sensors, and control systems work accurately under both normal and simulated accident conditions.
RNPP sources said pre-fuel load tests are underway, including inspections of the reactor building, containment dome, and seismic and safety compliance checks. Mechanical systems such as piping, pumps, valves, turbines, pressure vessels, and heat exchangers are also being tested.
Cold tests are conducted using water or inert fluids to simulate normal and emergency operations without radioactive material. Automatic and manual valves, safety and emergency shutdown systems, and electrical load tests are checked to confirm grid reliability.
Additional system and safety checks include calibration of instrumentation, verification of emergency systems such as the Emergency Core Cooling System (ECCS), backup diesel generators, battery systems, and fire protection.
Pre-fuel commissioning tests also assess reactor coolant chemistry, mechanical alignment of turbines and pumps, and initial reactor start-up operations.
Post-fuel loading tests
Once fuel is loaded, the plant enters the hot commissioning phase, involving sensitive tests with radioactive material. The first step is achieving initial criticality, bringing the reactor to a minimal self-sustaining chain reaction and confirming that control rods and neutron absorbers operate correctly. Control rod worth tests are then conducted to confirm reliable shutdown capability.
Hot functional tests gradually increase reactor power from low to intermediate levels, evaluating coolant flow, heat transfer, and pressure-temperature behaviour under thermal conditions. Pumps, valves, and heat exchangers are tested under load, while reactivity and xenon behaviour tests monitor the reactor's response to control rod movements.
To ensure the safety system, the Emergency Core Cooling System is tested through simulated loss-of-coolant accidents, containment systems undergo leak and pressure tests, and full reactor shutdown tests validate emergency response systems.
The reactor then undergoes gradual power ascension, increasing in stages from 1% to full rated capacity. At each stage, turbine-generator performance, grid synchronisation, thermal efficiency, vibrations, temperatures, and pressures are carefully monitored.
Finally, pre-commercial acceptance tests involve full-power operation for extended periods to confirm stability, grid integration tests to ensure load-following and frequency regulation, and regulatory review before granting authorisation for commercial operation.
IAEA's August pre-OSART review of Rooppur plant
To monitor the safety and security of the RNPP, the IAEA sent a Pre-Operational Safety Review Team (Pre-OSART) to Unit 1 in August at Bangladesh's request.
After different level reviews, the IAEA team praised Bangladesh's strong commitment to operational safety with some recommendations for improvement.
The review assessed safety programs, staffing, training, and emergency preparedness against global nuclear standards – a standard step before fuel loading and reactor criticality.
The IAEA is expected to return to verify the implementation of its recommendations before granting final approval for commercial operation.
The Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, one of the most ambitious energy projects, is located on the banks of the Padma River in Pabna.
Construction of Unit 1 began in 2017, followed by Unit 2 in 2018. Both units use Russia's VVER-1200 pressurised water reactor technology, which incorporates multiple passive and active safety features.
