Rooppur Nuclear Plant May Start Supplying Power to National Grid Before December

Science and Technology Minister Fakir Mahbub Anam has expressed hope that the first unit of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant may begin supplying electricity to the national grid before December.
He made the remarks on Tuesday (November 3) while responding to a journalist’s question at a press conference held at the Secretariat on the occasion of the ‘Bangladesh AI Business Summit-2026’.

Fakir Mahbub Anam said the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant was currently at the C-stage of its operational process.
At this stage, the project must obtain clearance from the relevant regulatory authorities before moving from one phase to another. As of Tuesday, the plant had achieved 20 per cent thermal power capacity.
He said that once the capacity reached 35 to 40 per cent, steam generated at the plant would be used to turn the turbine. Electricity could then be produced once the generator was activated through the process. However, several more tests must be completed before power generation begins.

The minister said safety was being given the highest priority. If any test produced unsatisfactory results, the necessary equipment would be dismantled for further testing and repairs. The process could be repeated two, three or even four times if required. He stressed that electricity would not be supplied to the national grid until complete assurance of safety was achieved.
He said power supply could begin within the next five to six weeks if everything progressed smoothly. However, he did not want to set a specific deadline, as commissioning a nuclear power plant involves numerous technical tests and safety-related procedures that require time.

The minister said work on a VVR valve had taken nearly two months to complete, but the problem had eventually been resolved. The work was being carried out in coordination with Russia’s contractor, Rosatom. He also acknowledged the contractor’s cooperation in this regard.

Fakir Mahbub Anam said Bangladeshi and Russian experts, including scientists, the managing director and the project director, were working together at the site. Around 49 Russian scientists had previously been involved in the process. At present, the project was progressing through the joint efforts of local and foreign experts.
Outlining the electricity generation targets, the science and technology minister said the initial plan was to begin production with 300 megawatts of electricity and gradually increase output.

They hoped to raise production to more than 1,100 megawatts within the first six months. However, the pace of increasing output would depend on the progress made by scientists and experts working at the plant.