Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury said fuel loading at the first unit of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant is set to begin on April 7, marking a key milestone in Bangladesh's nuclear power programme.
Electricity from the plant is expected to be supplied to the national grid on a trial basis between June and July, he said, adding that the first unit could generate around 1,200 megawatts of electricity at full capacity by December this year.
The minister made the observations on Thursday following a meeting with Russian Ambassador to Bangladesh Alexander Grigoryevich Khozin at the Planning Ministry in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar in the capital.
Mr. Khasru also said Bangladesh is exploring the possibility of expanding cooperation with Russia in the broader energy sector, including the import of oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG).
However, the initiative faces certain challenges, particularly related to US sanctions, he added.
"We are waiting for a waiver from the United States," he said, adding that Russia holds a strong position in the global energy market and has shown interest in cooperating with Bangladesh.
He further said: "There are opportunities to work together in the energy sector. We are examining how such collaboration can be pursued."
According to the minister, the meeting also discussed Bangladesh-Russia bilateral relations, trade and commerce, and ways to expand cooperation in energy supplies.
He said the government is working to diversify energy sources to ensure a stable supply of fuel and electricity for the country's growing economy.
Stronger bilateral cooperation in the power and energy sectors will help reinforce Bangladesh's long-term energy security, he added.
Highlighting the Rooppur project, the minister said Bangladesh urgently needs to strengthen electricity production and add new capacity to the national grid to ensure energy security.
"Our immediate priority is to move into production and ensure electricity output that can be added to the grid," he said, mentioning that power security remains a major concern for the country.
Officials involved with the Rooppur project said once fuel loading begins, the process for the first unit could be completed within a month.
After that, the plant will move through several stages, including achieving 'criticality', conducting required tests and synchronising with the national grid.
Project officials said more than 2,000 tests are required for the nuclear power plant, of which around 150 minor tests are currently being conducted in parallel.
Most of these are expected to be completed by this month, while some can also be carried out during the fuel loading stage.
Initially, the first unit of the plant is expected to generate around 300 megawatts of electricity, officials said, adding that it will gradually be increased by around 10-15 per cent each month.
After the physical start-up of the reactor, reaching the full 1,200-megawatt capacity may take about eight to 10 months, according to project officials.
Officials also said there are plans to begin fuel loading in the second unit of the plant later this year as part of preparations for its power generation phase.
The project was initiated through an intergovernmental agreement between Bangladesh and Russia signed in October 2013. In November 2017, the then prime minister inaugurated the concrete pouring for the reactor and water-cooling dome of the first unit.
Although one unit was initially scheduled to begin production in early 2021, the timeline was pushed back due to complications arising from the COVID-19 pandemic and later geopolitical disruptions including the Ukraine war.
Recently, the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) approved a revised proposal for raising the project cost by Tk 255.92 billion, from the initial cost estimate of Tk 1.14 trillion.
The preliminary handover of Unit-2 has been extended until December 31, 2027, setting the overall project completion timeline at June 2028 under the revised project.
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