The sixth consignment of uranium for the first unit of Rooppur Nuclear Power Project has arrived in Pabna’s Rooppur under special security arrangement. Pabna Superintendent of Police Akbar Ali Munshi confirmed that the convoy carrying uranium entered the project area at 8:30 am on Friday. SP Akbar 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 Dashuria in Pabna's Ishwardi. Fifth batch of uranium for RNPP arrives in Rooppur amid tight security He added that law enforcement agencies were working to ensure tight security in view of the arrival of uranium. Besides, vehicular movement on the highway from Dhaka to Rooppur in the project area was suspended from 5am to 10am. However, traffic movement was restored when the uranium consignment entered the Rooppur project area, said the SP. 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. Fourth batch of uranium for RNPP reaches Rooppur amid tight security 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. 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. Russia to take back spent fuel of Rooppur nuclear power plant: PM Hasina tells fuel handing ceremony 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. 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.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today (October 19, 2022) said that the government has imposed austerity in some areas, but that does not mean people of Bangladesh will not get electricity. “People are getting electricity and that will continue, but we all have to maintain austerity… we are maintaining austerity in some cases. We are compelled to do so under the circumstances,” she said. The Prime Minister said this while inaugurating the installation of a reactor pressure vessel at the second unit of the 2,400 MW Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP). She joined the programme virtually from her official residence Ganabhaban while it was held at Ishwardi in Pabna. The prime minister said the government’s target was to provide electricity for all. “We have kept our promise. We have been able to provide electricity to every house in Bangladesh. And we have succeeded in illuminating Bangladesh,” she said. In this connection, she said problems erupted due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war. Read: PM inaugurates installation of 2nd reactor at Rooppur nuclear power plant “…Prices were hiked in every sphere, including transportation. As a result, developed countries are facing various problems. They have also focused on savings in every sphere of life. We are not lagging behind either…. The world is now a global village, and one is dependent on other. When the entire world is suffering from economic recession, we will have to endure that blow too,” she observed. “We have also initiated austerity measures,” she said. “That, however, does not mean people of the country will not get electricity.” PM Hasina said Bangladesh sets an example in the world in the use of nuclear power for development and peaceful purpose. She said the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant project is being implemented ensuring overall safety. Once the project is fully implemented, Bangladesh would march further ahead, she added. Read Power crisis: Parts of Dhaka to experience up to 8-hour load shedding The PM said that the nuclear power plant project will play a pivotal role in establishing a developed and prosperous Bangladesh through implementation of the long-term perspective plan for 2021-2041. She described electricity generated from nuclear power plant as “environment friendly”. She hoped that the first unit of Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant will come into operation next year, while the second unit will begin electricity generation in 2024 and a total of 2400 MW of electricity will be generated from the two units together. She said that Bangladesh has already been recognised as a developing country because of tireless efforts of her government. Highlighting success stories of her government over the last three terms, Hasina extended her thanks and gratitude to all concerned, particularly the Russian engineers and Bangladeshi experts and scientists working in the nuclear power project. Science and Technology Minister Yeafesh Osman, Director General of Russia’s Rosatom State Corporation Alexey Likhachev and Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Science and Technology Ziaul Hasan also spoke at the event. A documentary on the 2,400 MW Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant was also screened at the programme.

Installation of internals into half bodies hydro-accumulators for unit-2 of Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant has begun in Petrozavodsk Branch of AEM-Technologies in Russia.According to a press release of Rosatom, the Russian contractor of the Rooppur NPP, the half bodies were also manufactured in the same facility. These accumulators are part of passive core flooding system (PCFS).Eight hydro-accumulators are to be installed in each unit of the plant. Read: Despite surplus electricity, contracts of 10 rental power plants extended in four monthsEach hydro-accumulator has a capacity of 120 cubic meters is made of stainless steel. It has three shells and two heads. Ladders and maintenance platforms as well as other internals are installed into the body.PCFS refers to the second level of NPP passive safety systems.It is intended for removal of the residual heat of the coolant in reactor’s primary circuit. Read Rooppur NPP: Installation of outer containment dome at unit-1 in OctoberAn aqueous boric acid solution heated to a temperature of approximately 60 degrees Celsius is stored inside the hydro- accumulators during operation of the plant.If the pressure in the primary circuit falls below a certain level due to some accident, the fluid automatically flows into the reactor and the active core is cooled down.Rooppur NPP is being designed and constructed under a Russian project. Read Belarus national found dead at Rooppur Nuke Plant areaThe Engineering Division of Rosatom State Corporation is responsible for design and construction of the facility.The plant will consist of two power units with VVER-type reactors which life cycle is 60 years with a possibility to extend the life cycle by another 20 years. The capacity of each unit will be 1200 MW. AEM-Technologies is manufacturing the major equipment of the reactor hall for two power units. Read: Mild heat wave sweeps over four districtsAccording to Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission, the implementing authority of the RNPP, the first unit of the power plant was scheduled to start operation in 2022 and second one in 2024.But recently the first unit’s operation of Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant was rescheduled to 2024 and second unit to 2025.

The sixth tier of the inner containment dome of the reactor building has been installed at Power Unit-1 of the under-construction Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP). The metal structure of 44m diameter and 185t weight has been installed in its regular place on the cylindrical part of the reactor building containment at elevation +44.100, according to Rosatom, the Russian constructor. The operation was carried out by specialists of the Trest RosSEM branch using a Liebherr heavy crawler crane of 1350t lifting capacity. A day before lifting, a special mounting beam of 15 steel cables had been installed, it added. Read: Russia ships equipment for Rooppur nuclear plant "The first of the three tiers of the inner containment dome part has been assembled. The next stage of the work will be to mount the subsequent two tiers pre-assembled into one unit of the reactor dome containment, at the design level. As soon as both structures are welded together, we will start concreting the dome," JSC ASE Vice-President and also the Director for the RNPP Construction Project, Alexey Deriy, said. Preparations for this operation took several months. The metal structures of three tiers of the reactor building dome were pre-assembled into 2,185t and 191t reinforced metal units on special slipways located in the immediate proximity of the power unit. The Rooppur NPP site is located in Pabna. The facility is designed and constructed by the engineering division of Rosatom State Atomic Energy Corporation of Russia. Read: Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant unit 2 hydraulic tests completed The nuclear power plant will consist of two VVER-1200 reactor power units; their life cycle is expected to be 60 years, with the possible extension of service life of another 20 years. The Russian design with VVER-1200 reactors, successfully implemented at Novovoronezh NPP-2, was selected for the first NPP in Bangladesh.

The Volgodonsk Branch of JSC "AEM-technology" (part of the machine-building division of Rosatom - "Atomenergomash") manufactured and shipped the internals of the nuclear reactor for the first power unit of the under-construction Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP) in Bangladesh.

The High Court on Tuesday turned down the bail plea of Md Mostafa Kamal, Deputy-Divisional engineer (Civil) of Public Works Department, in three cases filed over graft in purchasing furniture and other household products for the officials and employees of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant.

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen along with senior officials of the ministry recently visited the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP) as part of its efforts to promote the peaceful use of nuclear technology across the world.

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen has said Bangladesh has set an example of using nuclear technology for public good through Ruppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP).