Pull to refresh
Logo
What Changed
Following Why Sign Up
Bangladesh's first nuclear plant begins fission reaction

Bangladesh's first nuclear plant begins fission reaction

Built World

Rooppur Unit 1 reaches criticality, with trial power supply to the national grid expected by December

October 12th, 2026: Rosatom completes automated process control systems installation

Overview

Updated Oct 19

Bangladesh's first nuclear reactor achieved first criticality on October 11 — a controlled, self-sustaining chain reaction at the Rooppur plant in Ishwardi, Pabna. The fission process, running since 3:34pm local time, produces heat that will eventually drive a turbine and feed the national grid.

After a September slip caused by safety valve defects, BAERA approved the fission start on October 8 and the reactor went critical on October 11. Rosatom finished installing automated process control systems at both units on October 12. Power start-up is set for November 20, with grid connection expected by the end of November and 300 MW to the grid by December. Unit 2's first fuel arrived October 3.

Why it matters

Rooppur's two units will add 2,400 MW to Bangladesh's grid, making it the country's first nuclear power plant.

Questions about this story

Free account needed to ask — your question is kept and asked for you right after sign-up. Answers are public.

No questions yet — be the first to ask.

Key Indicators

300 MW
Expected trial power to grid by December
One-quarter of Unit 1's 1,200 MW capacity, reached when output is about 30% of design capacity.
2,400 MW
Total plant capacity (two units)
Combined capacity of Rooppur's two VVER-1200 reactors.
First
Bangladesh's first nuclear plant
Unit 1 is Bangladesh's first nuclear reactor.
30–40 days
Post-criticality test sequence
Reactor physics tests, safety verifications, and a gradual power ramp before grid connection.

Voices

Curated perspectives — historical figures and your fellow readers.

Sign up to generate historical perspectives on this story.

Log in Sign Up

People Involved

Anwar Hossain
Anwar Hossain
Secretary, Bangladesh Ministry of Science and Technology
Confirmed the October 11 criticality
 Fakir Mahbub Anam
Fakir Mahbub Anam
Minister of Science and Technology
In talks with Rosatom about Unit 1 timeline and nuclear expansion
 Alexey Likhachev
Alexey Likhachev
Director General, Rosatom
Expects Unit 1 power generation by late November 2026
 Dr Md Zahedul Hassan
Dr Md Zahedul Hassan
Managing Director, Nuclear Power Plant Company Bangladesh Limited (NPCBL)
Overseeing Unit 1 commissioning

Organizations Involved

Rosatom
Rosatom
State-owned nuclear corporation
Design-and-build contractor for Rooppur

Rosatom is the Russian state nuclear corporation building the Rooppur plant under a 2011 Bangladesh-Russia agreement.
Bangladesh Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority (BAERA)
Bangladesh Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority (BAERA)
Regulatory Agency
Granting staged approvals for reactor commissioning

BAERA is the independent regulator that approves each stage of Rooppur's reactor commissioning.
NP
Nuclear Power Plant Company Bangladesh Limited (NPCBL)
Government-Owned Utility
Owner and future operator of Rooppur

NPCBL is the state-owned company that owns and will operate the Rooppur plant.

Timeline

2011 October 2026

8 events Latest: October 12th, 2026 · 1 month ago
Tap a bar to jump to that date

  1. Rosatom completes automated process control systems installation

    Latest Milestone

    Rosatom announced completion of installation of automated process control systems at both Rooppur units.

  2. Unit 1 achieves first criticality

    Milestone

    Unit 1 begins a self-sustaining chain reaction at 3:34pm; BAERA starts an inspection of the reactor's readiness.

  3. Minister meets Rosatom chief in Moscow

    Diplomacy

    Science minister Fakir Mahbub Anam meets Rosatom DG Alexey Likhachev; Rosatom targets late-November power generation.

  4. Regulator approves fission start

    Regulatory

    BAERA grants B2 sub-stage authorization, permitting Unit 1 to begin its first controlled fission reaction.

  5. First fuel consignment for Unit 2 arrives

    Milestone

    The first nuclear fuel for Rooppur Unit 2 arrived at the site, moving the second reactor closer to its own commissioning.

  6. Safety valve defects delay fission start

    Setback

    Defects found in safety valve tests push the planned September start of fission to a later date.

  7. Fuel loading begins at Unit 1

    Milestone

    Rosatom's engineering division begins loading nuclear fuel into Unit 1's reactor vessel.

  8. Bangladesh, Russia sign Rooppur deal

    Agreement

    Bangladesh and Russia sign an intergovernmental agreement for the 2,400 MW Rooppur plant, with Rosatom as constructor.

Scenarios

1

Rooppur Unit 1 feeds 300 MW into Bangladesh's grid by December

Likely Resolves by End of 2026

Discussed by: Rosatom Director General Alexey Likhachev and NPCBL officials, who told reporters trial grid supply could start in late November or December.

Reactor power rises through approved commissioning stages over 30 to 40 days. Once thermal output reaches about 37% of capacity, the plant moves to connect at roughly 300 MW of electrical output — 30% of Unit 1's design capacity. Officials at Rooppur say the full test sequence should place grid connection near the end of the year.

2

Commissioning delays push Rooppur's grid connection into 2027

Possible Resolves by Feb 1, 2027

Discussed by: Project officials quoted by The Business Standard, who note the timeline is not fixed and could stretch to 10 weeks from mid-October.

The process already slipped once, when safety-valve defects pushed fission from September to October. Any further technical finding from BAERA's inspections, running October 11 to 17, or a slow power ramp delays grid connection into early 2027. Officials cautioned the six-to-ten-week estimate is provisional.

3

Rooppur Unit 1 reaches full commercial operation

Uncertain Resolves by End of 2027

Discussed by: Rosatom, which expects trial operations to continue seven to eight months before commercial declaration.

After the trial period — which officials say could run seven to eight months — the reactor must demonstrate sustained performance at or near its 1,200 MW design capacity. Full commercial operation is the formal end of the commissioning arc, likely in the second half of 2027.

Historical Context

2 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

2020–2021

UAE Barakah Unit 1 (2020–2021)

The United Arab Emirates built the Arab world's first nuclear plant at Barakah with South Korean technology from KEPCO. Unit 1 loaded fuel in early 2020, reached criticality that year, and connected to the grid in April 2021 — roughly a year after fuel loading began.

Then

The UAE grid took on its first nuclear power, starting with a single unit before ramping the rest of the four-reactor plant.

Now

The UAE says Barakah can supply up to a quarter of its electricity, and the program became a template for first-time nuclear countries in the region.

Why this matters now

Barakah shows the typical path for a first-time nuclear country: a foreign-built reactor, staged regulatory approvals, and a gradual ramp from first criticality to grid supply.

September 2011

Iran Bushehr (2011)

Russia completed Iran's Bushehr plant after German contractor Siemens abandoned the project following the 1979 revolution. The VVER-1000 reactor was connected to the grid in September 2011, decades after construction began.

Then

Bushehr added roughly 1,000 megawatts gross to Iran's grid, its first nuclear generation.

Now

Iran remains the only Middle Eastern country operating a Russian-built reactor, and Bushehr became a fixture in nuclear diplomacy.

Why this matters now

Like Rooppur, Bushehr is a Russian-built VVER reactor at the center of a national power program — though Rooppur's commissioning has moved far faster since fuel loading began in April 2026.

Sources

(12)
+6
Prothom Alo The Daily Observer Just Energy News The Business Standard The Daily Star The Financial Express Times Squire Technology.org JustNewsBD World Nuclear News The Daily Observer The Daily Star