Historic Step: Bangladesh’s First Nuclear Plant Begins Core Reaction
Bangladesh has taken a major step towards producing its own nuclear energy. The first unit of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant began a nuclear fission reaction on Sunday afternoon. This important process releases nuclear energy. It moves the country closer to providing nuclear electricity to the national grid.
The Rooppur plant aims to supply 300 megawatts of electricity by December. The fission reaction was first planned for September. However, tests on safety valves showed some problems. Workers tested the valves under high pressure last week.
The Bangladesh Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority (BAERA) then approved the start of the reaction. It began at 3:34 PM on Sunday. This plant in Pabna is the largest single project in Bangladesh’s history.
Md Zahedul Hasan is the Managing Director of Nuclear Power Plant Company Bangladesh Limited (NPCBL). He said the final steps for the reaction started on Saturday. The controlled reaction was successful on Sunday. He called this a big milestone for Bangladesh’s science sector.
This event marks the first time the reactor vessel achieved “criticality.” This is a key moment for Bangladesh’s nuclear energy program. All reactor settings are now stable and under control.
Next, the plant will do more physics tests. It will also check safety systems. The reactor power will slowly increase. Then, it will connect to the national grid. Each step must meet very high safety standards.
Officials say this reaction shows Bangladesh’s skills in science and engineering. After many years, the country is now very close to connecting its first nuclear power plant.
A series of tests will continue for 30 to 40 days. The reactor’s power will then increase slowly. The heat from fission will make steam. This steam will turn a turbine to create electricity.
Electricity can go to the national grid once the plant reaches 30 percent capacity. At this point, it will supply 300 megawatts. This is likely to happen in December. Bangladesh will become the 33rd country in the world to produce nuclear power.
The project has faced some delays. It is now three and a half years behind schedule. The deadline has been extended twice. The new completion date is June 2028.
The project cost has also increased. The rise in the US dollar exchange rate added Tk 260 billion. The total cost of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant is now expected to be Tk 1.39 trillion. However, once running, one unit could save Bangladesh USD 1 billion each year on fuel imports.
