Rooppur's second unit fuel to arrive by December in seven cargo flights
Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant. Photo: Collected.
The process of procuring nuclear fuel (uranium) for the second unit of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant under construction in Ishwardi, Pabna, is set to begin this October. Russia's state nuclear energy corporation (Rosatom) has said that, according to the scheduled timeline, the entire fuel supply will be completed by December through seven separate cargo flights.
The matter has been widely discussed over the past few days after the fuel failed to reach the country from Russia at the scheduled time due to complications over airspace permission. Against this backdrop, Rosatom provided the information in a statement tonight.
With Russia's financial and technical assistance, Rosatom and its affiliated companies are carrying out the construction work of the country's first nuclear power plant.
The total generation capacity of the two units is 2,400 megawatts. Although fuel loading at the first unit has been completed, the time to go into production has been delayed due to various complications. Power generation from there was supposed to begin this month, but that was not possible due to a fault detected in a safety valve. A team of experts has arrived from Russia to repair the fault. Some necessary spare parts have also been brought. Once the repair is completed, Rooppur's electricity will be added to the national grid. Meanwhile, work on the second unit is also continuing in full swing. Essentially, the fuel for the second unit is now set to arrive.
The special cargo aircraft carrying the second unit's fuel from Russia was supposed to arrive last Thursday. However, it could not come to Bangladesh as permission to use Pakistan's airspace was not obtained. Several officials involved with the project have said that, overcoming the complications, the fuel may arrive in the country on October 1. However, the scheduled time may change due to various reasons, including security concerns.
Sources at the Ministry of Science and Technology said that this sensitive nuclear fuel is brought into the country by special cargo aircraft under strict security. Permission must also be obtained from the countries whose airspace the aircraft uses. On Thursday, even after all preparations by Russia and Bangladesh were completed, the flight was cancelled at the last moment due to Pakistan's permission not being obtained.
According to source information, the cargo aircraft was supposed to come to Bangladesh via Kazakhstan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India. However, it could not be confirmed exactly why Pakistan did not grant permission to use its airspace.
Sources said efforts may now be made to bring the fuel via China and Myanmar or through an alternative route.
According to the plan, a total of 163 fuel assemblies are to arrive in seven flights by December for Rooppur's two units. Along with the second unit, some fuel will also arrive for the first unit.
Fuel has already been loaded into the first unit. However, after about a year and a half, one-fourth of that fuel will need to be replaced. That is why the necessary fuel for the first unit is being brought in advance. According to the agreement, Russia will supply fuel for the first three years. After that, the fuel will need to be replaced at a specified rate every two years, and Bangladesh will then have to import it.
To avoid security risks, the fuel is brought to Dhaka's Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport by special aircraft. From there, it is taken to the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant under a strict security cordon by the army and those concerned.
