Bangladesh A Step Closer To Nuclear Power Generation, Starts Fuelling Its First Power Plant

Last Updated:April 28, 2026, 19:29 IST

The uranium fuel loading at the 2,400 MW Rooppur Nuclear Plant marks a key step towards bringing the plant online to ease pressure on its electricity grid.

Bangladesh is set to begin loading uranium fuel into its first nuclear power station on Tuesday, marking a key step towards nuclear power generation to ease pressure on its overstretched power grid.

The fuel loading at the 2,400 MW Rooppur Nuclear Plant, originally planned for April 7, had been delayed several times due to pending regulatory approvals and unresolved safety issues, according to Dhaka Tribune. When operating, it could meet up to 10% of the power demands of the country, the government said.

The fuel loading ceremony, attended by Bangladeshi and Russian officials, also featured a recorded message from Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), who congratulated Bangladesh on reaching the fuel-loading milestone, as per reports.

Funded and technically supported by Russia, the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant is Bangladesh’s largest energy infrastructure project. The plant’s total capacity is expected to reach 2,400 MW upon full completion.

The construction of the $11 billion plant began in 2017, with an initial power generation of around 300 MW hoped to come online by August, before full production in late 2027. Saikat Ahmed, the plant’s senior scientific information officer, told AFP that the fuel loading will be followed by a controlled nuclear fission chain reaction.

The plant comprises two units. The fully-constructed first unit is expected to generate 1,200 megawatts of electricity, while Unit-2 may be completed by late 2027 or early 2028.

West Asia Crisis Hampers Bangladesh’s Energy Needs

Bangladesh’s power grid is stretched every year during the sizzling summer period, when people largely use air conditioners. However, the situation has worsened due to an energy crisis from the US-Israeli war against Iran in the Gulf region.

Bangladesh imports 95% of its oil and gas, much of it from the Middle East, where energy shipments through the Strait of Hormuz have been disrupted since war began in late February.

Government officials said the plant would supply around 300 MW of electricity to the national grid by August, but the process requires a slow process of testing at each stage.

“This project will meet 10% of Bangladesh’s total electricity demand and about two million people will benefit from it," said Bangladesh Prime Minister’s Information and Broadcasting Adviser Zahed Ur Rahman during a press conference.

(with AFP inputs)

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