The fifth consignment of fresh nuclear fuel (Uranium) arrived at Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP) site in Ishwardi on Friday morning.
The vehicle carrying the Uranium arrived at the RNPP site with adequate security measures, said Ruhul Quddus, Green City Site Office In-Charge and Administrative Officer of the RNPP Project.
Earlier, the first consignment of Uranium arrived on September 28 and four more consignments arrived at different times in October. Two more consignments of Uranium are expected to arrive in the country soon.
According to sources, under the strict vigilance of the Armed Forces, the vehicle carrying the Uranium arrived at 9-00 AM on Friday. Earlier on Thursday afternoon, the Uranium was arrived at Dhaka on a special flight from Russia.
On October 5, the Nuclear fuel was handed over to the government of Bangladesh by Russian authorities through a function held at Rooppur. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Russian President Vladimir Putin attended the function through a video conference.
Dr. Soukat Akbar, Project Director of Rooppur informed the Uranium is being carried by road ensuring strict security measure. The directives of the International Atomic Energy Commission are being maintained properly in importing, carrying and preserving nuclear fuel for the Rooppur project.
According to sources, Bangladesh became a member of the elite platform Nuclear Club of the nuclear-enriched countries through the Rooppur project. Two reactors of the Project will generate 2,400 megawatts (1,200 megawatts each) of electricity. The plants are likely to generate electricity continuously for the next 80 years.
The first unit of the nuclear power plant in the country is expected to be inaugurated during the first half of 2024 and the second unit of the plant is expected to start from the middle of 2025. Already more than 90 percent and 70 percent of works of infrastructural development of the first and the second units of the plants respectively have been completed.
Project sources informed, the majority of technical assistance and financial support for the construction of the power plants are being paid by Russia. The total cost for the construction of the plants has been estimated to Tk 113,092 crore of which Russia will pay Tk. 91,040 crore as loan and the rest amount will be paid by the Bangladesh government.