The fifth shipment of uranium fuel for the second unit of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant in Pabna arrived at the project site early Saturday, marking another step towards the plant's commissioning.
The fuel, sourced from Russia, was transported to the plant in three specialised lorries at around 5:30am under tight security.
Members of the Bangladesh Army and other law enforcement agencies provided security during the transportation.
According to project sources, six shipments of uranium fuel have reached the site so far: one for the first unit and five for the second unit.
Under the delivery plan drawn up by Russia's state nuclear corporation Rosatom, 163 uranium fuel assemblies are scheduled to be delivered for the second unit through seven cargo flights. Another 48 assemblies are planned to arrive in two separate cargo shipments as reserve fuel for the first unit. This will bring the total number of shipments to nine.
Meanwhile, preparations for commissioning the plant's first unit are also underway. The unit is currently in the "Power Start-up Stage-C" phase, for which the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority (BAERA) Chairman granted approval on October 29.
During this phase, the reactor's power output will be gradually increased to test the performance of various plant components, including turbines, generators and safety systems.
Once the tests are completed successfully, the generator of the first unit will be connected to the national power grid in a process known as synchronization.
According to the project plan, the first unit is expected to supply around 300 megawatts of electricity to the national grid on a trial basis in November. However, the start of trial power generation will depend on the completion of the necessary tests and approval from the regulatory authority.
Built with Russian technology, the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant comprises two units equipped with VVER-1200 reactors. Once fully operational, the plant is expected to significantly boost the country's power generation capacity and strengthen long-term energy security.
