The loading of nuclear fuel into the reactor of Rooppur Unit 1 has been completed, marking the end of a crucial stage in preparing the unit for first electricity. The next step is bringing the reactor to first criticality and its gradual power ascension.
Fresh nuclear fuel loading has been completed at Unit 1 of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant. This process commenced on April 28, 2026, marking one of the key stages in preparing the unit for first electricity. Rosatom Director General Alexey Likhachev and Bangladesh Minister of Science and Technology Fakir Mahbub Anam gave the green light for the fuel loading.
“Civil nuclear energy will play a key role in ensuring national energy security, accelerating industrialization and promoting the development of a technology-based economy. The Rooppur NPP project serves as a symbol of Bangladesh’s scientific progress and demonstrates the country’s readiness and ability to responsibly and efficiently adopt advanced technologies,” said Fakir Mahbub Anam.
A total of 163 fuel assemblies were sequentially loaded into the reactor core. The fuel was manufactured at the Novosibirsk Chemical Concentrates Plant in Russia.
“We strictly followed the initial core loading program, process regulations, and safety standards for nuclear energy. As the next step, we will install the reactor vessel head and connect all necessary in-core monitoring systems,” said Alexey Deriy, Vice President for Bangladeshi Projects at AtomStroyExport. “After that, we will conduct hundreds of tests to confirm that all plant systems operate safely and reliably.”
In the near future, the reactor will be brought to first criticality, after which a gradual power ascension will begin. These operations precede the first electricity phase and the pilot operation of Rooppur Unit 1.
Concurrently with the nuclear fuel loading, Rosatom supplied an instrumentation and control (I&C) system for the first power unit. The delivery included 22 subsystems of the I&C system and an automated radiation monitoring system (ARMS). They monitor equipment operation, power output to the grid, and plant processes at the power unit both during the commissioning phase and throughout subsequent operation.
“All I&C equipment for Rooppur Unit 1 has been delivered and adjusted at the construction site. As part of the project, we have implemented a number of improvements. For example, the automated radiation monitoring system is arranged, for the first time ever, in a compact skid-mounted design,” commented Gleb Murashov, Managing Director for I&C at RASU JSC.
By the end of 2026, Rooppur Unit 1 is expected to begin supplying electricity to consumers. Rosatom Director General Alexey Likhachev held a meeting with Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to discuss the progress of the Rooppur NPP construction project. The parties emphasized the strategic importance of the project for the Bangladeshi power grid and reaffirmed their commitment to its successful and timely implementation.
“Russia-Bangladesh cooperation in the nuclear sector is a shining example of a strategic partnership based on trust, mutual respect, and a drive for technological development. We highly value the level of cooperation achieved during the implementation of this large-scale Rooppur NPP construction project. I am confident that the successful completion of the project will lay a solid foundation for further expanding cooperation between the two countries and will open up new opportunities for joint high-tech projects in both the energy sector and related industries, science, and education,” Alexey Likhachev said.
Photo by: ASE JSC, PJSC “NZHK”
