Russia’s Rosatom announces date of Bangladesh nuclear plant start

The first unit of Bangladesh’s first nuclear power plant will be connected to the power grid at the end of November, the CEO of Russia’s Rosatom, Aleksey Likhachev, said in Dhaka on Friday.

Likhachev made the announcement at a meeting with Bangladeshi Minister of Science and Technology Fakir Mahbub Anam, where key issues relating to the project were discussed. The fuel-loading at the facility began in April.

The Rooppur nuclear plant, Bangladesh’s most expensive infrastructure facility, has heavy backing from Russia. Moscow is financing $11.9 billion in state loans for the project, which is estimated to cost up to $12.8 billion.

”Of course, we still have some to work here,” Likhachev said. “Our specialists are not only building, but standing shoulder to shoulder, working with operators in Bangladesh to ensure effective and safe operation of the plant.

”All the final decisions will be made by the government of Bangladesh, the people of Bangladesh,” he added. “We are aiming for around the end of November.”

The plant, built by the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission about 160 km from Dhaka, has two units, each with a capacity of 1,200 megawatts (MW). The first unit is expected to start operations with an initial supply of 300 MW, Anam said in April.

Russia is providing equipment, nuclear fuel, and engineering assistance for the project, and the plant is expected to meet up to 12% of Bangladesh’s electricity demand when completed.

In June, at a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Bangladeshi Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman lauded the plant as a “monument to cooperation” between the two countries.