United News of Bangladesh

Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP) – Bangladesh’s first nuclear power plant – is expected to begin supplying electricity to the national grid by the end of August this year, Science and Technology Minister Faqir Mahbub Anam told Parliament on Sunday. Replying to a starred question from ruling party lawmaker Md Mustafizur Rahman Babul (Jamalpur-3), he said the plant has entered the commissioning and startup phase – the final and most critical stage before commercial power generation begins. Describing the project as a landmark achievement in the country's energy sector, the minister said the RNPP is Bangladesh’s first nuclear power facility and has now reached the concluding phase following years of planning, construction and preparatory work. “The commissioning and startup phase is the final, most complex and critical stage before electricity generation begins,” he said. Faqir Mahbub Anam informed the House that fuel loading activities under Stage-B (Fuel Loading and Physical Startup) of Unit-1 began on April 28, 2026. He said nuclear fuel is currently being installed in the reactor, while boric acid addition, reactor and primary circuit testing, safety verification, sub-criticality tests and other commissioning activities are underway. The next phase will involve bringing the reactor to a critical state, conducting integrated tests of the control and protection systems and operating the reactor at low power levels as part of the startup process, the minister added. According to the project schedule, the reactor’s power output will be increased gradually. Initially, it will operate at around 10-12 percent capacity and later at 35-40 percent capacity to facilitate various technical tests and evaluations. “The reactor power will be raised in phases. Once all required tests and commissioning activities are successfully completed, the generator is expected to be synchronised with the national grid approximately 114 days after the commencement of fuel loading,” the minister said. Expressing optimism about the project’s progress, he said, “According to the contractor’s schedule, we hope that by the end of August 2026 the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant will be able to supply around 300 megawatts of electricity to the national grid for the first time.” The 2,400-megawatt Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, being built at Ishwardi in Pabna with Russian assistance, is expected to play a transformative role in strengthening Bangladesh’s long-term energy security and diversifying its power generation mix.