Final batch of uranium reaches Rooppur plant

The final shipment of uranium for the first unit of the under-construction Rooppur Nuclear Power Project in Pabna has arrived in Rooppur amid tight security.

The convoy of vehicles transporting uranium entered the Rooppur nuclear plant at 7:34am on Friday.

Pakshi Highway police station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Ashish Kumar Sanal confirmed the information.

This shipment of uranium arrived at Dhaka's Shahjalal Airport from Russia on Thursday afternoon. The uranium shipment left for Rooppur at 2am on Friday by road from Dhaka under special security.

Pabna-Natore-Kushtia highway was closed for heavy traffic for two hours from 6:30am-7:30am for safety reasons.

Dr Shawkat Akbar, project director of Rooppur power plant, said that the fuel from these seven consignments will continuously generate electricity in two units with a capacity of 2,400MW for a year.

On the other hand, the nuclear power plant at Rooppur has already been upgraded to a nuclear facility after the first shipment arrived.

Dr Shawkat added that nuclear fuel certificate was officially handed over to Bangladesh government from Russia on Thursday afternoon. Installation of all types of equipment in the construction of the first unit has been completed.

“Russia is sending us all the goods and equipment now. Now the commissioning will start,” he added.

He also said that along with obtaining the relevant certificate, the necessary skilled manpower has also been prepared and posted.

He said that the instructions of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) are being properly followed in all areas including fuel import, transportation and maintenance of Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant.

The RNPP project was conceived in 2009, and an agreement with Russia on the "Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy" was signed on May 13, 2009. Subsequent agreements and contracts have led to its realization, with the first unit projected to become operational in July 2024 and the second in July 2025.