Bangladesh has moved a significant step closer to joining the ranks of electricity-generating nuclear nations after the country's first nuclear power plant, Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, successfully reached criticality, a crucial milestone on the path towards commercial power generation.

Confirming the development, Bangladesh's Minister for Science and Technology, Faqir Mahbub Anam, told ANI, "Bangladesh’s Rooppur nuclear power plant, the country’s first, has reached criticality, a key milestone toward starting electricity production. Power generation could begin within the next two to three weeks."

Officials have indicated that electricity generated by the plant is expected to be connected to Bangladesh's national grid during the final week of November, marking the beginning of a new era for the country's energy sector.

Situated in Rooppur village in Ishwardi Upazila of Pabna District, on the banks of the Padma River, the facility is Bangladesh's first nuclear power station. The project is being developed under the supervision of the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission with extensive technical support from Russia's State Atomic Energy Corporation, Rosatom.

The power station comprises two Generation-III VVER-1200 reactor units, each capable of producing 1,200 megawatts of electricity. Together, the two reactors will provide 2,400 megawatts of baseload power, significantly strengthening Bangladesh's electricity generation capacity and supporting long-term energy security.

The achievement follows Bangladesh's entry into the nuclear age after receiving its first shipment of low-enriched uranium fuel from Russia for Unit 1 of the Rooppur facility. The consignment consisted of 164 fresh fuel assemblies manufactured at Rosatom's Novosibirsk Chemical Concentrates Plant.

The fuel was transported directly from Russia to Dhaka's Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport aboard a heavy-lift Russian cargo aircraft under stringent international safeguards. From there, specially shielded containers were moved via a heavily secured "green corridor", protected by the Bangladesh Army and other law enforcement agencies, to the plant site in Ishwardi, Pabna.

An official fuel handover ceremony was held in October 2023, representing one of the most important milestones in the project's development and paving the way for reactor commissioning activities.

The Rooppur project has long been regarded as a cornerstone of Bangladesh's strategy to diversify its energy mix, reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels and meet rising electricity demand.

The VVER-1200 reactors deployed at the site incorporate advanced passive and active safety systems that comply with modern international nuclear safety standards, making them among the most advanced reactor designs currently being introduced worldwide.

With criticality now achieved and grid synchronisation expected within weeks, Bangladesh stands on the verge of bringing its first nuclear-generated electricity into regular service, a landmark moment in the country's industrial and energy development.

ANI