The fourth shipment of nuclear fuel for the second unit of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant in Ishwardi, Pabna, has arrived at the project site.
Three lorries carrying the fuel entered the site around 7am on Saturday under tight security.
The fuel arrived in Dhaka from Russia on a special flight, landing at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. The lorries left the airport around 3am on Saturday and travelled to Rooppur via the Bangabandhu Bridge, Bonpara in Natore and Dashuria in Ishwardi, escorted by the army.
Police, the army, the Special Security Force (SSF) and intelligence agencies were involved in security arrangements during the transportation.
According to sources, a total of 163 fuel assemblies for the second unit will be brought to Bangladesh in seven shipments. Another 48 assemblies will arrive in two separate shipments for refuelling the first unit.
Further shipments are expected to arrive from Russia on seven flights between November and December. Rosatom, Russia’s state-owned nuclear energy corporation, aims to complete all fuel deliveries by December.
The first shipment of nuclear fuel for the plant’s first unit arrived in Bangladesh on September 29, 2023. Four subsequent shipments reached the Rooppur site in October and November that year.
Fuel loading in the first unit’s reactor was completed in May this year. After approximately one and a half years, around one-fourth of the fuel will need to be replaced. An additional shipment for the first unit arrived on October 3.
The second and third shipments of fuel for the second unit reached the project site on October 21 and 27, respectively.
Under the agreement, Russia will supply fuel for the plant’s first three years. Bangladesh will have to import fuel at scheduled intervals thereafter.
The two units of the power plant have a combined generation capacity of 2,400MW.
Meanwhile, preparations for trial power generation at the first unit are underway, with the fuel-heating process reportedly having begun. Those involved in the project expect electricity from the plant to be connected to the national grid by December.