Rooppur:Dhaka The second shipment of nuclear fuel for the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant's second unit has arrived from Russia, ensuring strict security measures at the project site.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Dr. Zahedul Hasan, managing director of the Nuclear Power Plant Company Bangladesh Limited (NPCBL), confirmed that three fuel-carrying trucks arrived at the Rooppur site this morning, escorted by the army and supported by other law enforcement agencies. The trucks reached the site at 746 am.
Earlier, a special cargo aircraft transported the nuclear fuel from Russia, landing at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka at 814 am on Monday. Russia's state-owned nuclear corporation, Rosatom, stated that 163 uranium fuel assemblies for the second unit are expected to arrive in Bangladesh through seven cargo flights. Additionally, 48 uranium fuel assemblies for the first unit have already been delivered in two previous shipments.
The Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, built with Russian technology, features two VVER-1200 reactor units, each with a capacity of 1,200 megawatts, totaling 2,400 megawatts combined. The first unit has completed necessary tests, including the B-2 stage physics tests, and reports have been submitted to the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority (BAERA).
Following BAERA's final approval, the first unit will advance to the power start-up phase, marking the next step towards electricity production. During this phase, the reactor's power level will be gradually increased to evaluate the performance of equipment and safety systems, leading eventually to electricity supply to the national grid.