Rosatom Begins Supplying Nuclear Fuel for Unit-2 of Rooppur Power Plant
Russia's state nuclear energy corporation Rosatom has begun supplying nuclear fuel for the initial loading of the VVER-1200 reactor of Unit-2 at the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant in Ishwardi, Pabna. Rosatom announced the development in a press release on Thursday morning (October 29).
According to the release, the first consignment of fuel assemblies, manufactured at the Novosibirsk Chemical Concentrates Plant under Rosatom's Fuel Division, recently arrived in Bangladesh on a special cargo flight.
Earlier, all consignments of fresh fuel needed for the first refuelling of Unit-1 arrived in Bangladesh from Siberia. That refuelling is scheduled to take place after the reactor completes its first fuel cycle.
After reaching the Rooppur plant site, the fuel containers were moved to a designated fresh nuclear fuel storage facility. To ensure compliance with technical specifications and nuclear safety requirements, every fuel assembly must pass mandatory visual and instrumental inspections.
The inspection will be carried out by a joint commission comprising representatives of Bangladesh, the general contractor and the fuel manufacturer, in strict compliance with nuclear and radiation safety regulations.
In 2026, Rosatom's Engineering Division completed the initial loading of nuclear fuel into the core of Unit-1's VVER-1200 reactor. The reactor then reached its minimum controllable power level this month, considered a major milestone towards electricity generation.
Before connection to the national grid and subsequent trial commercial operation, the unit will have to go through power ascension tests and obtain the necessary approvals from the regulatory authority.
Rooppur, Bangladesh's first nuclear power plant, has two Russian-designed Generation 3+ VVER-1200 reactors with a total generation capacity of 2,400 megawatts. Rosatom's Engineering Division is serving as the project's general designer and general contractor.
