Bangladesh receives the first batch of Russian Uranium for the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant

Tags: International News

The Russian Embassy in Bangladesh officially delivered the first batch of uranium from Russia to the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP).

An Overview of the News

• After the commissioning of the Rooppur plant, Bangladesh is on its way to becoming the 33rd country globally to produce nuclear power.

• A formal "graduation ceremony" marked the handover of radioactive fuel from the Russian contractor, Rosatom, to RNPP officials.

• Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Russian President Vladimir Putin virtually attended the ceremony held at the Gana Bhavan and the Kremlin respectively.

• Rosatom Director General Alexei Likhachev presented the fuel, and the ceremony was presided over by Minister of Science and Technology Architect Yefesh Osman.

• International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi also participated via video conference.

Uranium Shipment and Transportation:

• The second batch of uranium-making nuclear fuel for the first unit of Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant arrived in Dhaka via a special plane at Dhaka Shahjalal International Airport on October 5.

• The initial batch of uranium reached Bangladesh on 28 September and was safely transported by road to the nuclear power plant site the next day.

Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant Overview and Expenses Fuel Management:

• Rosatom, the Russian contractor, is responsible for the construction of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, which has a total capacity of 2400 MW and consists of two units, each capable of producing 1200 MW of electricity.

• After nuclear fuel is loaded into the plant's reactors, it can generate electricity for up to a year before needing to reload the fuel.

• Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina announced that Russia is committed to reclaiming the spent fuel from the Rooppur plant and an agreement has been signed with the Russian Federation for the management of the spent fuel.