Nuclear Patience

Bangladesh's Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant has entered its final phase but faces another delay, with fuel loading for Unit 1 postponed due to pending technical and regulatory clearances.

- Mollah Amzad Hossain

Global sanctions, payment challenges, political disruptions, and transmission delays have slowed progress, despite strong oversight by the IAEA and extensive local workforce training. Once operational, Rooppur will supply 2,400 MW of non-carbon baseload power, marking Bangladesh’s entry into the nuclear era, though commercial operation is unlikely before 2026-27.

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Bangladesh’s long-awaited entry into the nuclear power era has encountered yet another setback. Fuel loading for the first 1,200 MW unit of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP), the country’s largest and most technologically complex development project, will not take place on December 25 as previously scheduled, according to project authorities. The delay underscores the intricate technical, regulatory, and geopolitical challenges facing the project as it nears its final stages.

Officials say that a series of final technical and safety verification processes remains incomplete, preventing fuel loading at this time. While the milestone was expected to mark a decisive step toward power generation, authorities have refrained from announcing a revised timeline, stating that a new date will be formally declared once all regulatory requirements are satisfied.