The third batch of nuclear fuel reached the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP) on Friday (October 13).

The uranium carrier reached the power plant around 9:30am today under special security arrangement of the Bangladesh Army.

Pakshi Highway Police Officer-in-Charge (OC) Ashish Kumar Sanal confirmed the matter to Banglanews.

Director of Rooppur nuclear power project Shaukat Akbar said this batch of nuclear fuel assembly reached Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka via a special aircraft from Russia on Thursday.

“More consignments will arrive in the country in phases. In the initial phase, electricity will be generated in two units with a capacity of 2400 MW continuously for a year with a total of seven consignments of fuel, he said.

This is the third consignment to reach the Rooppur nuclear power plant in the last three weeks, Shaukat added.

According to the project details, the government expects to commission the first unit of RNPP in September 2024 and the second in mid-2025.

There are 30,000 people, including 7,000 professionals, working on the project. The project is expected to operate for 60-80 years.

Officials said RNPP will be able to take Bangladesh into unique heights by entering the nuclear club as it will also be able to play a leading role in meeting carbon emission reduction targets. At the same time, it will reduce the cost of power generation in a flash.

The project layout said the RNPP will generate 2,400 MW of electricity every day.

The nuclear fuel is being produced by ROSATOM's associate company TVEL Fuel. Various countries around the world purchase nuclear fuel from them.

Once the nuclear fuel is loaded into the power plant's reactors, power can be produced for one year. After that, the fuel will have to be reloaded into the reactor.

BDST: 1703 HRS, OCT 13, 2023
MSK