Bangladesh has initiated the process of loading nuclear fuel into the first unit of its inaugural nuclear power station, a significant step toward operational status for the country's most expensive infrastructure project. The facility, located in Rooppur approximately 160 kilometers from the capital Dhaka, is designed with two units, each capable of generating 1,200 megawatts of electricity.
The development arrives as Bangladesh contends with a power grid that faces annual strain during summer months due to high demand from air conditioning use. The new plant is projected to eventually fulfill a substantial portion of the nation's electricity needs. Russian state-owned nuclear corporation Rosatom is a central partner in the project, providing equipment, fuel, and engineering support. Rosatom's CEO, Aleksey Likhachev, framed the milestone as Bangladesh joining "the club of states that use peaceful nuclear energy as a reliable source of sustainable development" and highlighted the project's role in strengthening international partnerships.
Financial backing for the plant is heavily supported by Russia, which has provided state loans for the vast majority of the project's estimated $12.8 billion total cost. The next phase involves beginning trial runs for commercial electricity generation at the facility.