Rooppur Unit 1 nears power generation, grid connection likely in March-April

Bangladesh's first nuclear power plant is now approaching the power generation stage, with fuel loading at Unit 1 of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Project likely to begin in early February, project officials said.

If the process moves ahead as planned, trial electricity generation could start between early March and late April, allowing partial power to be fed into the national grid for the first time, they added.

Officials, however, cautioned that the highly sensitive and safety-critical nature of nuclear operations means the plant will not immediately reach full capacity. 

Infograph: TBS

According to the operational roadmap, it may take another eight to ten months after physical startup to gradually scale up generation to the full 1,200 megawatts. If everything proceeds as planned, full commercial production from the first unit may be possible by mid-2026.

Any technical anomaly detected during fuel loading, reactor startup or trial operations could lead to adjustments in the timeline, they said, noting that safety and quality assurance are being prioritised over speed at every stage of the commissioning process.

Officials of Nuclear Power Plant Company Bangladesh Limited (NPCBL) said the fuel loading process would take around one month, followed by reactor startup and water heating phases, expected to require another month to complete. After that, trial operations will begin in phases, during which partial electricity generation may be supplied to the national grid for the first time.

According to the operational plan, electricity output will be increased gradually – first to 10%, then 40%, followed by 70%, and eventually reaching 100% capacity.

Officials cautioned, however, that the timeline could change due to technical complexities. Any fault detected at any stage before trial operations could lead to adjustments in the schedule.

Similarly, preparations are underway to begin fuel loading for the second unit of the Rooppur plant toward the end of 2026, marking the start of its production process.

Operational officials also noted that electricity generated during the trial phase may not be regular or consistent. Power supply is expected to become more stable after the completion of trial operations and the formal handover of the first unit.

A senior official of NPCBL, on condition of anonymity, told TBS from the Rooppur project site on 29 December, "The remaining ancillary works are expected to be completed within the next five weeks, paving the way for fuel loading in early February. While the plant is gradually moving into the operational phase, no stage is being rushed due to the highly sensitive nature of the process."

The official added that around 30 critical tests are still pending. Once these are completed, each system will undergo a detailed inspection. If any fault or deviation is identified, corrective measures will be taken and the tests repeated. A final decision on fuel loading and progression to the next phases will be made only after all steps are successfully completed.

'No compromise in safety'

Officials of the Ministry of Science and Technology said the newly appointed Russian contractor informed them last week that fuel loading at Rooppur's first unit would begin soon, though no official date has been set, which will come only after the remaining tests are completed.

They said no compromise is being made on safety and quality, with secure and precise implementation prioritised over timelines for the highly sensitive project.

Construction of the Rooppur project began in 2016 at an initial cost of Tk113,093 crore. Under the original plan, electricity from Unit 1 was scheduled for December 2024 and from Unit 2 for December 2025. However, the project missed these targets due to implementation delays.

A proposal to increase the project cost is now under process due to exchange rate adjustments and higher component costs. Planning Commission sources said the total cost is set to rise by Tk26,181.26 crore following exchange rate adjustments, which is 23.15% higher than the original estimate.

According to the Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED), the plant will generate 2,400 megawatts of electricity – 1,200 megawatts from each unit. As of August 2025, financial progress stood at 73.62%, while physical progress reached 74.24%.

The project is being implemented under an intergovernmental agreement between Bangladesh and Russia. In December 2015, the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission signed a contract with Russia's Atomstroyexport for the construction of two units, along with equipment supply, training, and fuel provision.

Officials said the Covid-19 pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine war, and dollar shortages slowed project progress. As a result, at the 90th joint coordination meeting on 3 June 2025, the project timeline was extended. The provisional handover of Unit 2 was extended to 31 December 2027, setting the revised project completion date at June 2028 under the amended DPP.

Project progress

According to IMED's October report, construction of Rooppur's first unit is almost complete, with most buildings finished and the installation of major machinery nearing completion. Overall, Unit 1's main structures are more than 95% complete, and key safety tests have already been successfully carried out. Work on the auxiliary and turbine buildings is also close to completion, with final installations and checks underway.

Construction of Unit 2 has similarly reached an advanced stage. Most core structures and shared facilities are nearly finished, with building work largely completed and equipment installation progressing steadily. Under the project plan, electricity generation from Unit 2 is scheduled to begin about a year after Unit 1.

All four cooling towers for the two units have been built, with final fittings and testing in progress. Overall, cooling tower work is around 90% complete.

In addition, construction of 133 shared facilities – such as fuel storage, safety and emergency buildings, power switchyards, workshops, and support infrastructure – is almost finished. Several key facilities are now in the final stage of commissioning.