Fuel loading has begun at the first unit of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, officially positioning Bangladesh as the 33rd country to use nuclear energy. The plant, located in Pabna and built with Russian technical assistance, is the country’s most expensive infrastructure project. Construction began in 2017 during the previous Awami League government, following the issuance of a siting license in 2016 by the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority. The total project cost is about 12.65 billion US dollars, with Russia financing 90 percent of the amount.

According to Professor Md. Shafiqul Islam of Dhaka University’s Nuclear Engineering Department, electricity generation will start during the pilot operation phase, though full commercial production may take another six months to a year. The Grid Company of Bangladesh’s Managing Director, Abdur Rashid Khan, confirmed that grid capacity and transmission line work for the first unit were completed by May 2025, ensuring readiness to handle 1,100 megawatts of power.

The completion of fuel loading and grid preparation brings Bangladesh closer to producing nuclear-generated electricity for the first time.