Bangladesh has yet to finalise the electricity tariff for its flagship Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP), as the cost of nuclear fuel — a key component in pricing — remains undisclosed, officials said.
The uncertainty means the state-run Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB), the country’s sole bulk electricity buyer, has been unable to determine the per-unit tariff for power generated by the plant, one of the largest base-load projects in the national grid.
“We have already received most of the cost components except the fuel cost of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant,” BPDB chairman Engr Rezaul Karim told Just Energy News. “But fuel cost is essential to determine the per-unit tariff.”
He said the BPDB expects to receive the fuel pricing details soon, which would allow it to finalise both the tariff and a long-pending power purchase agreement (PPA) with the plant authorities.
The delay comes as Bangladesh prepares to reach a major milestone in its nuclear programme. Officials confirmed that fuel loading for the first unit is scheduled to begin tomorrow, marking the physical start-up phase of the plant. Electricity generation is expected to commence from August, according to project timelines.
Despite the operational progress, questions remain over how the government will manage the plant’s financial structure, particularly around subsidies.
A senior Power Division official said the division has already informed the Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST) as well as ministry of finance that it will not assume liability for any subsidy requirements linked to the Rooppur project.
Instead, the ministry overseeing the nuclear programme is expected to handle any future subsidy arrangements, the official added.
The issue has gained prominence after the interim government recently suspended subsidies for two large coal-fired plants — the 1,320MW Rampal and 1,320MW Payra power stations — citing the absence of approvals from the cabinet committee on government purchases.
MoST Secretary Anwar Hossain said both the BPDB and the Rooppur plant authorities are working to set the tariff and PPA.
Energy expert Prof Ijaz Hossain said it would be difficult to finalise the power purchase agreement and related tariff issues during the tenure of the interim government.
He added that, despite the government-to-government deal, the power tariff is unlikely to be fixed immediately.
A high-level delegation is expected to attend the fuel loading ceremony, including Science and Technology Minister Fakir Mahbub Anam, adviser Rehan Asif Asad, and senior officials from Russia’s state nuclear corporation Rosatom.
Under current arrangements, Rosatom will supply nuclear fuel for the first three years of operation. The fuel will be replaced every 18 months during the initial cycle, and subsequently at two-year intervals, according to officials familiar with the project.
The Rooppur plant, being built with Russian financing and technology, is central to Bangladesh’s efforts to diversify its energy mix and reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels.