Rooppur plant now owns its nuclear fuel
After the first batch of the fuel, Bangladesh is getting two more batches of uranium for free from Russia Atomstroyexport as per the general agreement.
Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant now owns its nuclear fuel as Bangladesh signed the final acceptance protocol agreement on receiving the Initial Batch Fresh Nuclear Fuel in Siberia yesterday.
Dr Mohammad Shawkat Akbar, project director of Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant Project, signed the protocol on behalf of Bangladesh while Alexey Deriy, vice president of JSC Atomstroyexport, signed on behalf of the general contractor of the project.
Bangladesh signed the protocol after completing all the formalities regarding manufacturing the fuel in the factory, and acquiring approval from the inspecting team that includes manufacturers, sub-contractors, customers, and contractors.
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"With this agreement, Bangladesh has become an owner of nuclear fuel," said Dr Mohammad Shawkat Akbar.
"Now we are waiting to receive the fuel. The first flight carrying the fuel to Dhaka will be in September-October 2023," he said.
After receiving the first batch of nuclear fuel, Bangladesh will get two more batches of uranium for free from Atomstroyexport as per the general agreement, he added.
As per the project plan, the first unit of the 2,400MW nuclear power plant is expected to commence commercial operation in the first quarter of 2024.
The $13 billion project is being implemented by the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission with the technical and financial support of Russia.
The uranium, which is sourced from Russia, will be transported in a specially designed container aboard a dedicated aircraft to Dhaka's Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.
The Bangladesh Army will supervise the transportation of containers of uranium by road to Rooppur, located in Ishwardi upazila of Pabna district. Some manpower is also being trained for this purpose, sources at the science and technology ministry said.
The two units of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant will require 70-80 tonnes of uranium annually, with uranium being loaded into the reactors every 18 months. Each kilogram of uranium will cost the government $550.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will oversee the entire operation to ensure its compliance with safety protocols.
Although the upfront cost of this plant is very high, the project's 60-year lifespan is expected to give a cheap and emission-free power supply in the long run
