Rooppur power plant gets nuclear fuel

The Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP) received nuclear fuel on Thursday to produce electricity at a function at its site as Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Russian President Vladimir Putin virtually joined it, reports BSS.
With the handover of the radioactive fuel to Bangladesh authorities, the country became the 33rd nuclear fuel user in the world and third in South Asia.
The certificate of fuel delivery was handed over to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on behalf of Russian President Vladimir Putin at Prime Minister's official residence Ganobhaban as the premier joined the event virtually.
The model of the fuel assembly was handed over to Science and Technology Minister Architect Yeafesh Osman by ROSATOM Director General Alexy Likhachev at the ceremony in the RNPP site, Ishwardi, Pabna.
ROSATOM is building the 2400-megawatt power plant. Its first unit of 1,200MW capacity is set to be operational next year, while the other unit in 2025.
Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Mariano Grossi also joined the event virtually.
At the outset of the function, an audio-visual documentary on the manufacturing and delivery of the first batch of nuclear fuel for RNPP was screened, while RNPP Project Director and Managing Director of Nuclear Power Plant Company Bangladesh Limited (NPCBL) Dr Md Shawkat Akbar presented an introduction to the RNPP.
Science and Technology Secretary Md Ali Hossain delivered the welcome address.
Reiterating to build the country as "Smart Bangladesh", Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP) is another step in that direction.
"Bangladesh will be turned into a smart country in future, and the nuclear power plant is another step towards building that Smart Bangladesh," she said at the RNPP Graduation Ceremony at the plant site, joining it virtually from her official residence Ganabhaban.
Sheikh Hasina said the design and construction of the plant is being carried out keeping in mind that the nuclear power plant is not damaged during any kind of disaster.
In this connection, she also mentioned that the Russian Federation has promised to take back the spent fuel of the RNPP to their country.
"We've signed an agreement with the Russian Federation for the management of spent fuel. The Russian Federation will take this spent fuel back to their country," she added.
"We will use nuclear power to protect peace," said the Prime Minister, expressing her firm commitment to the complete elimination of nuclear weapons worldwide and to the implementation of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said the RNPP would remain as a symbol of strong bilateral ties between Dhaka and Moscow.
"The flagship project meets the interests of both countries and promotes further deepening of mutually beneficial cooperation," he said.
Putin was addressing virtually from Moscow the nuclear fuel-uranium handover ceremony (graduation ceremony) for Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP) held at the plant site in Pabna.
Congratulating Bangladesh on its graduation to nuclear power, Putin said, "Both countries have interests in this project and it will have huge contribution to Bangladesh's energy and economic security."
Terming Bangladesh as a tested friend and development partner, the Russian president said the relations between the two countries are being established on the basis of mutual equity and respect.
Putin said, Russia and Bangladesh have established their ties in the field of mutual cooperation more than 50 years back.
"At the beginning of the 1970s, Soviet Union had extended support to East Bengal on its struggle for independence and rebuilding the newly independent country," he said.
Putin recalled last year's celebration of the golden jubilee of the diplomatic relation between the two countries and Bangabandhu's historical visit to Moscow.