The first unit of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant is preparing to begin its power startup operation tomorrow (25 October), subject to final approval from the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority (BAERA), according to project sources.
According to Nuclear Power Plant Company Bangladesh Limited (NPCBL), all tests and activities under the unit's B-2 stage, including physics tests, have been completed successfully, and the relevant reports were submitted to the regulatory authority on Wednesday (21 October).
Once BAERA grants approval, the unit will enter the C stage, marking the beginning of the power startup process.
Project officials said the operation can begin tomorrow if the required approval is received promptly. However, any delay in obtaining clearance may push back the timeline.
Electricity generation will initially begin on a limited scale, with the reactor's power level gradually increased as subsequent tests and activities are completed successfully.
The plant is expected to begin supplying electricity to the national grid once its generation capacity reaches 30% to 35%, according to project sources.
The authorities hope to begin supplying at least 300 megawatts of electricity from the first unit to the national grid by the end of this year.
However, the timeline will depend on the successful completion of each subsequent test and stage following the power startup, as well as the necessary approvals from the relevant authorities.
The first controlled nuclear chain reaction at Unit 1 of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant was achieved on Sunday (11 October), a major milestone for Bangladesh's first nuclear power project as the reactor entered its initial criticality stage ahead of electricity generation.
The chain reaction is the first of four stages before the plant can generate electricity. The next stages are thermal energy transfer, mechanical energy conversion and finally electricity generation and supply to the national grid.
According to Md Anwar Hossain, secretary of the Ministry of Science and Technology, the reaction was initiated after the required compliance procedures, technical parameters and external certifications had been completed.
Inside a nuclear reactor, a controlled chain reaction splits uranium atoms through nuclear fission, releasing energy as heat. The heat generates steam, which drives turbines to produce electricity.
Russian specialists, Bangladeshi experts and other technical specialists had been present to observe the process and assess the reactor's performance, Anwar added.
He said nuclear fuel had already been loaded into the reactor and the fission process had now begun.
Anwar said technical teams were working to complete the remaining processes as quickly as possible, but stressed that every stage must comply with the required procedures and safety standards.
The Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant in Ishwardi, Pabna, is being built with two VVER-1200 pressurised water reactor units using Russian technology supplied by Rosatom.
Each unit has a planned capacity of 1,200 megawatts, giving the plant a combined 2,400MW.