Fresh nuclear fuel has been fully loaded into the reactor core of Unit 1 at the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, marking a significant step towards the commissioning of Bangladesh’s first nuclear energy facility.
The loading operation began on 28 April and involved the installation of 163 fuel assemblies into the reactor core — a key phase before the reactor can begin producing electricity.
Alexey Deriy, Vice President of Atomstroyexport for the Rooppur project, said the procedure was completed in accordance with operational regulations and international nuclear safety standards.
“The next stage includes installation of the upper reactor unit and integration of all required in-core instrumentation systems,” he said. “Hundreds of additional tests will then be conducted to ensure the reliable and safe operation of all process systems.”
According to project officials, the reactor is expected to reach its minimum controllable power level in the coming weeks before capacity is gradually increased ahead of trial commercial operations.
The Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, located in western Bangladesh, is being developed with Russian financial and technical support. The project consists of two VVER-1200 Generation III+ reactors with a combined capacity of 2,400 megawatts.