The assembly process of the reactor at power unit-1 of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant has been successfully completed. According to Rosatom, the Russian contractor for the Rooppur Nuclear Power Project, the process involved installing reactor internals, loading fuel assembly simulators, installing a protective pipes unit, an upper unit, and Smart Automated and Monitoring Systems (SAMS) sensors, which marks a key milestone in the project. The next stage will involve hydraulic testing to ensure the operability of the reactor plant's equipment. Rooppur NPP: Engineers receive training on nuclear fuel handling Specialists from Atomstroyexport, Atomtekhenergo, and Rosenergoatom were responsible for carrying out the assembly work. Alexey Deriy, Atomstroyexport Vice President for Projects in Bangladesh, stressed the importance of this stage, saying, “Completion of the reactor assembly and getting prepared for key tests is an important stage to ensure the efficient operation of the future power unit. We are responsible for the safe, uninterrupted, and reliable operations.” “We carefully monitor each stage of the work, using advanced methods and technologies that have been tested many times at our construction sites,” he added. The Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant is being developed with technical and financial assistance from Russia. It will house two power units with a combined capacity of 2,400 MW. The project utilises Russian VVER-1200 reactors, a Generation III+ design that meets all international safety standards. Rosatom Engineering Division serves as both the general designer and general contractor for the project.

The fifth consignment of uranium, the nuclear fuel for Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, has arrived in Pabna’s Rooppur under special security arrangement. A convoy carrying uranium entered the project area around 9:25am on Friday (October 27). The last consignment of the ‘fresh nuclear fuel’ reached Rooppur on October 20. Confirming the development, Biplob Kumar Goswami, Pabna additional superintendent of police (Ishwardi Circle) said the convoy carrying uranium left the capital in the morning and crossed Bangabandhu Bridge and reached Rooppur project area via Banpara in Natore and Dasuria in Ishwardi of Pabna. Fourth batch of uranium for RNPP reaches Rooppur amid tight security Earlier on September 28, the first consignment of fuel for the Rooppur Nuclear Power Project arrived in Bangladesh. The next day, on September 29, fuel was taken to the project area under special security measures. The consignment was formally handed over in the presence of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Russian President Vladimir Putin through a video conference on October 5, marking Bangladesh’s entry to the world’s elite club of nuclear power producers. On January 15, 2013, an agreement regarding State Export Credit of US$ 500 million was signed for carrying out preparatory phase construction works of Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant. Russia to take back spent fuel of Rooppur nuclear power plant: PM Hasina tells fuel handing ceremony The government signed a US$12.65 billion general contract (GC) in 2015 with Moscow for building the nuclear power plant. Bangladesh signed a credit agreement with Russia to obtain $11.385 billion credit for RNPP in July 2016. The credit covers 90 percent of the project cost. The Ministry of Science and Technology recently said that the first unit of the plant may come into operation in July 2024 and the second unit in July 2025. Once the two units become operational, the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant will be capable of generating 2,400 MW of power. The first unit has reached over 90 percent completion in terms of physical and structural work, while the second unit has progressed to about 70 percent completion. Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant  to take one and half years to commission: Yeafesh Osman According to the World Nuclear Association website, the countries using nuclear energy include the US, China, France, Russia, South Korea, Canada, Ukraine, Germany, Japan, Spain Sweden, Belgium, UK, India, Czech Republic, Finland, Switzerland, Bulgaria, Pakistan, Hungary, Slovakia, Brazil, South Africa, Mexico, Romania, Argentina, United Arab Emirates, Belarus, Slovenia, the Netherlands, Iran and Armenia.

Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP) is going to officially receive a fresh batch of uranium from the Russian contractor, Rosatom, at a formal “Graduation Ceremony” on Thursday (tomorrow, October 05, 2023). According to official sources, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Russian Federation President Vladimir Putin are expected to virtually join the historic ceremony to mark the occasion. Sources said Director General of the Russian State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom, Aleksey Likhachev, will hand over the fuel officially to the project authority in Rooppur project. Science and Technology Minister Architect Yeafesh Osman will preside over the function while Rafael Mariano Grossi, director general of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will join the ceremony through video conference. Md. Ali Hossain, Secretary, Ministry of Science and Technology, said that all arrangements are ready for making the Graduation Ceremony a success. “We have made all necessary arrangements to mark the historic moment,” he told UNB. Earlier, the first batch of uranium, the nuclear fuel of the first unit of Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, arrived in Bangladesh on September 28. The consignment of uranium arrived in Dhaka from Russia through a special air cargo and it was moved to the nuclear power plant site by road under heavy security the next day. The nuclear fuel was brought to Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka by a special plane from a factory in Russia. Read: First batch of uranium for RNPP reaches Rooppur amid tight security The fuel was produced at the Novosibirsk Chemical Concentrates Plant (NCCP) in Russia, a subsidiary of Rosatom's fuel manufacturing company Tevel. Rosatom, as a Russian contractor, has been engaged in building the 2400 MW Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant with two units, each with the capacity of producing 1200 MW electricity. The nuclear reactor of the first unit of the power plant was loaded in October 2021 while reactor for second unit was installed in October 2022. The government conceived the idea of setting up the RNPP project in 2009 and signed a memorandum of understanding with the Russian Federation on May 13 in 2009 on the “Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy.” On January 15, 2013, an agreement regarding State Export Credit of US$ 500 million was signed for carrying out preparatory phase construction works of Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant. The government signed a US$12.65 billion general contract (GC) in 2015 with the Russian Federation for building the nuclear power plant in Rooppur. Bangladesh signed a credit agreement with Russia to obtain $11.385 billion Russian credit for RNPP in July 2016. The credit covers 90 percent of the project cost. Read: Support truss installed at Unit-2 reactor building of Rooppur RNPP The Ministry of Science and Technology recently said that the first unit of the plant may come into operation in July 2024 and the second unit in July 2025. However, Project Director of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Project Dr. M Shawkat Akbar said that the government is expecting to commission the first unit of the RNPP in September next year and second unit in mid of 2025. Though the 1200 MW first unit of the nuclear power plant at Rooppur is expected to start production from next year, the Power Division and Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) are still in dark about the possible tariff of the electricity of the plant. According to sources at the Power Division, the officials of the BPDP sat in a number of meetings with the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC) to discuss a possible power tariff of the plant, but they failed to get a clear picture in this regard. The BAEC has been implementing the RNPP project and the BPDB will purchase electricity from the Russian-aided plant under a long-term agreement. A top official of the BPDB, however, said that they have made a primary calculation on the basis of the data derived from the discussions with BAEC and reports in the newspaper and tariff of per unit electricity of the RNPP will be not less than Tk 10. According to some local experts' calculation the power tariff of the RNPP project will cross $0.08 -0.10 (8-10 US cents). Read more: Key stage completed in manufacture of RNPP’s first reactor pressure vessel One of the country's eminent power tariff experts, Mizanur Rahman, former Member of Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC), said the electricity tariff from the nuclear power project will be more than over $0.085 (8.5 Cents).

The first consignment of uranium, the nuclear fuel for Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, has arrived in Pabna’s Rooppur under special security arrangement. Akbar Ali Munsi, superintendent of Pabna police, confirmed the development saying that the first consignment of the uranium was transported here around 1:15pm Friday. First batch of uranium for RNPP heads to Rooppur amid tight security He said the motorcade carrying the uranium broke down in Gazipur partly due to mechanical fault, but resumed the journey around 7am after it was fixed. An additional number of law enforcement agencies were deployed on the Dhaka-Pabna Highway and check posts were also set up at important points as part of the security measures, the SP said, adding that vehicular movement on the highway was also kept suspended. Akbar Ali said the authorities concerned were asked to keep vehicular movement suspended on the highway due to the security issue as the route frequently remains stuck with traffic gridlock.  He, however, said the vehicles plying on the highway were asked to operate through alternative Aricha-Kazirhat routes to avoid suffering. First shipment of uranium for Rooppur nuclear power plant arrives in country Earlier, the first batch of fresh uranium for the first unit of Rooppur nuclear power plant arrived at Dhaka airport on Thursday in a special air cargo from Russia. According to official sources, Director General of the Russian State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom Aleksey Likhachev will hand over the fuel officially to the project authority in the Rooppur project on October 5. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Russian President Vladimir Putin are expected to virtually join the function. The fuel was produced at the Novosibirsk Chemical Concentrates Plant (NCCP) in Russia, a subsidiary of Rosatom's fuel manufacturing company Tevel. USD300 million compensation guarantee given to import fuel for Rooppur plant: Official Rosatom as a Russian contractor has been engaged in building the 2400 MW Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP) having two units with capacity 1200 MW each. According to project officials, the government is expecting to commission the first unit of the RNPP in September next year and second unit in mid of 2025.

The Director General of Rosatom State Corporation, the Russian contractor for the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant in Bangladesh, announced they have reached one of the most important stages of the project - delivery of fresh nuclear fuel to the site. Alexey Likhachev said the milestone in the project's implementation has been reached thanks to the efforts of both his Russian and Bangladeshi colleagues. Delivery of fresh nuclear fuel will mark the transition of the NPP under construction into the status of a nuclear facility, and will make Bangladesh a member of the “nuclear community” of countries using atomic energy for peaceful purposes, Likhachev said. Nuclear fuel for Rooppur power plant to arrive in Bangladesh in September, Rosatom DG tells PM The Rooppur NPP equipped with two VVER-1200 reactors capable of producing a combined 2400 MW of electricity is being built by the Russian state atomic power agency 160 km from Dhaka under a General Contract dated December 25, 2015, said the Russian Embassy in Dhaka on Monday. Rooppur NPP not to get fuel supply until all necessary inspections completed: Russian Contractor Likhachev met with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and discussed the current issues of Rooppur NPP construction, including the readiness of the site for the most important milestone of the year - delivery of fresh fuel for Unit 1. The Russian design with two VVER-1200 reactors that had been successfully implemented at two units of the Novovoronezh NPP in central Russia, was selected for the first NPP in Bangladesh. Another vessel carrying cargo for Rooppur docks at Mongla port This is an evolutionary Generation III+ design which fully complies with all international safety requirements, and is said to be foolproof. Russia is consistently developing international trade and economic relations, focusing on cooperation with friendly countries, said the Embassy. Despite external restrictions, the domestic economy is augmenting its export potential to supply goods, services and raw materials all over the world, it said. The implementation of major international energy projects is underway. Rosatom and its enterprises are taking an active part in this work, said the Embassy.    

Nuclear Power Plant Company Bangladesh Limited (NPCBL) has published a recruitment circular 2023. The organization will recruit manpower in the Security and Physical Protection Service Division of Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant under them. Acceptance of applications will start on May 8 and will continue till May 22, 2023. 1. Post Name: Deputy Chief Superintendent (Security and Physical Protection Service Division) No. of Posts: 1 Type of Candidate: Male Only Age Limit: Maximum 48 years Grade: 4 Salary:TK. 1,26,000 Eligibility: Four years Bachelor's/Master's Degree in Security Studies or any discipline or Bachelor's Degree in Engineering in any discipline. Must have minimum 14 years service experience as First Class Officer with minimum one year in Grade-5 or above in Armed Forces, Bangladesh Police or any other law enforcement agency. 2. Post Name: Head of Security and Physical Protection Service Management No. of Posts: 1 Type of Candidate: Male Only Age Limit: Maximum 40 years Grade: 5 Salary: TK. 1,09,200 Eligibility: Four years Bachelor's/Master's Degree in Security Studies or any discipline or Bachelor's Degree in Engineering in any discipline. Must have minimum 10 years service experience as First Class Officer with minimum two years in Grade-6 or above in Armed Forces, Bangladesh Police or any other law enforcement agency. 3. Post Name: Head of Security Pass Unit No. of Posts: 1 Type of Candidate: Male Only Age Limit: Maximum 40 years Grade: 6 Salary: TK. 84,000 Eligibility: Four years Bachelor's/Master's Degree in Security Studies or any discipline or Bachelor's Degree in Engineering in any discipline. Must have minimum 7 years service experience as First Class Officer in Armed Forces, Bangladesh Police or any other law enforcement agency. 4. Post Name: NPP Station Security and Physical Protection Shift Supervisor No. of Posts: 7 Type of Candidate: Male Only Age Limit: Maximum 40 years Grade: 6 Salary: TK. 84,000 Eligibility: Four years Bachelor's/Master's Degree in Security Studies or any discipline or Bachelor's Degree in Engineering in any discipline. Must have minimum 7 years service experience as First Class Officer in Armed Forces, Bangladesh Police or any other law enforcement agency. 5. Post Name: Head of Physical Protection Duty Department No. of Posts: 1 Type of Candidate: Male Only Age Limit: Maximum 40 years Grade: 5 Salary: TK. 1,09,200 Eligibility: Four years Bachelor's/Master's Degree in Security Studies or any discipline or Bachelor's Degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering/Electrical, Electronic and Communication Engineering. Must have minimum 10 years service experience as First Class Officer with minimum two years in Grade-6 post in Armed Forces, Bangladesh Police or any other law enforcement agency. 6. Post Name: Deputy Head of Engineering and Technical Department No. of Posts: 1 Type of Candidate: Male Only Age Limit: Maximum 40 years Grade: 6 Salary: TK. 84,000 Eligibility: Four years Bachelor's/Master's Degree in Security Studies or any discipline or Bachelor's Degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering/Electrical, Electronic and Communication Engineering. Minimum seven years of service experience as Class I Officer in Armed Forces, Bangladesh Police or any other law enforcement agency. Conditions: Undertaking at the time of joining that he/she will serve in NPCBL for at least 10 years (upto 60 years of age as applicable) from the date of joining. If he voluntarily leaves NPCBL before completion of 10 years of service with NPCBL (before attaining the age of 60 years as applicable), he shall be liable to repay in favor of NPCBL all sums incurred by him by NPCBL, Government or authorities. Application Process: Interested candidates can apply through http://npcbl.teletalk.com.bd.

Bangladesh has recently approved payment of USD $318 million for payment to Russia in the Chinese currency of yuan for construction of the Rooppur nuclear power plant.  A meeting held recently between the Economic Relations Division and Russian officials decided that the payment will be made in yuan at a Chinese bank account, Uttam Kumar Karmkar, head of the European affairs of Economic Relations Division (ERD), Ministry of Finance confirmed  to UNB. He said that the decision was taken to use the Chinese currency yuan for debt repayment at a meeting of the ERD last Thursday. Read more: Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant project delayed by Russia-Ukraine War: Yeafesh Osman He said that although the decision has been taken to use Chinese currency to repay the loan, the transaction has not yet been completed. Payment details need to be clarified and resolved. Citing the diplomatic sensitivity of the matter, he declined to comment further. Dhaka's decision seems to have resolved the problem of making any payment to sanctions-hit Russia in the US dollar.  Read more: Return of Russian vessel carrying consignment for Rooppur won’t delay project work: Minister Last year, Western countries excluded Russia from the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunications, or SWIFT, one of the world's payment systems, due to its military invasion in Ukraine. The Rooppur nuclear power plant is being built in Bangladesh with a loan from Russia. But due to sanctions on Russia, it is not possible to pay in US dollars.  

Installation of the Transport Lock has been completed in the Power Unit 1 of the reactor building of Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (NPP). According to the Rosatom, the Russian contractor of the Rooppur NPP project, the Transport Lock will be used for the loading of nuclear fuel and its unloading at the power plant. The transport lock is 12.7 meters in length and 10 meters in width, and it weighs 235 tons. It is one of the biggest pieces of equipment on the project in terms of dimension. After the NPP start-up, fuel simulators will be delivered through the lock, and it will ensure full maintenance of the reactor. “Installation of the transport lock in the design position is an important stage for the completion of civil works in the reactor compartment building,” said Alexei Deriy, ASE Vice President and Director of the Rooppur NPP Construction Project. Further work on the assembly and adjustment of the transport lock will be carried out after the jacketing of the power unit 1 dome. Read more: Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant project delayed by Russia-Ukraine War: Yeafesh Osman Rooppur NPP equipped with two VVER-1200 reactors with a total capacity of 2400 MW is being constructed under the Russian design. VVER 1200 is an evolutionary generation III+ design that fully complies with all the international safety requirements. The Engineering Division of Rosatom State Corporation is implementing the project as the General Contractor. According to Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC), the 2400 MW Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant project, with two units, was undertaken in 2010. A target was set by the government to complete the construction of the first unit in 2022 and second unit in 2023. But later the target was reset, and the first unit was to be completed by June 2024 and second unit by June 2025.

Science and Technology Minister Yeafesh Osman on Thursday said that the work of Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) project will not be delayed for turning away sanctioned Russian vessel ‘Ursa Major’. The incident involving Russian vessel ‘Ursa Major’ is not good for anyone, he told reporters after the Deputy Commissioners’ Conference, 2023 at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium in the capital. However, the work of the project will not be delayed due to the incident, he said. “It will be completed within the stipulated time, they (Russia) assured us.” Read more: Rooppur consignment on sanctioned Russian ship may come by road from India Russia’s contract with Bangladesh is that there will be no relationship with them (Russia) until the consignments reach the river port of Ruppoor, Yeafesh Osman said. He said, “We are informed only when those reach our river port. Still, I will say that the incident that happened is not good for anyone. We have told them (Russia) that such incidents should not happen in future.” Sanctioned Russian ship Sparta III (Ursa Major) was scheduled to dock at Mongla port in the southwestern part of the country at the end of December last year and unload cargo destined for the Rooppur NPP in Pabna. Read more: Bangladesh won’t accept those Russian ships which are under sanctions: FM But the authorities denied the ship permission to dock at the port after officials got a letter from the US Embassy in Dhaka saying that the ship was on a list of Russian ships sanctioned by the US. On January 22, Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen said Bangladesh will not accept those Russian ships which are under sanctions, noting that Bangladesh has developed a good relationship with the United States of America (USA). Bangladesh has conveyed to the Russian side that they can send any ship except the sanctioned 69 ships carrying equipment for the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant. Momen hoped that Russia would now send non-sanctioned ships carrying required materials.

Bangladesh's Science and Technology Minister Yeafesh Osman has said that the government is trying to complete the construction work of Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant project within the stipulated timeframe. “Due to the Russia-Ukraine war and subsequent dollar crisis, work of the project has been delayed to some extent,” he remarked while briefing reporters after a joint meeting of his ministry with the Power Division on Wednesday (November 09, 2022) at Dhaka’s Bidyut Bhaban. State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid was also present at the meeting. The meeting was convened to discuss the progress of the construction of a power transmission line from the nuclear power plant in Rooppur in Pabna. Read: Bridge cranes installed at Unit 2 of Rooppur NPP The 2400 MW Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant project, with two units, was undertaken in 2010. A target was set by the government to complete the construction of the first unit in 2022 and second unit in 2023. But later the target was reset, and the first unit was to be completed by June 2024 and second unit by June 2025. Sources involved in the project believe it may miss the new timeline again. Yeafesh Osman today did not specify any timeframe. Read: 178 Russians employees of Rooppur Nuclear Power Project leave Bangladesh “We’re trying to get this done,” he said, adding that both the Science and Technology Ministry and the Power Division will work together in a coordinated manner to complete the project. About the power transmission line, Nasrul Hamid said the project was also delayed due to Covid-19 pandemic and Russia-Ukraine war. “Now efforts are being made to expedite the project implementation”, he said. He said the transmission line crossing the Padma river is a major work which may take another one and a half years to complete. Read More: Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant to get powerful reactors: Rosatom DG “We hope we can complete the transmission line before completion of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant project,” he said.