Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant has successfully completed nuclear fuel loading for Unit-1, marking a significant step toward the plant’s commissioning and electricity generation.
The fuel loading process began on 28 April 2026 and involved placing 163 fuel assemblies into the reactor core. The procedure is regarded as one of the most important phases before the reactor begins producing power.
Alexey Deriy, Vice President of Atomstroyexport for the Rooppur project, said the operation was completed in accordance with the approved core loading program, operational regulations, and international nuclear safety standards.
He said the next phase will involve installing the upper reactor unit and integrating the required in-core instrumentation systems. Hundreds of additional tests will then be carried out to ensure the safe and reliable operation of all systems.
According to Deriy, the reactor will soon reach its minimum controllable power level before capacity is gradually increased. These steps are expected to lead to power startup and trial commercial operation of Unit-1.
The Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, Bangladesh’s first nuclear energy facility, is being developed with technical and financial support from Russia. The project includes two VVER-1200 reactors with a combined generation capacity of 2,400 megawatts.
The Generation III+ reactor technology complies with international nuclear safety standards, while the Engineering Division of Rosatom is serving as the project’s main designer and contractor.
