Published: 11:33 PM, 08 October 2026
Rooppur's first reactor cleared for criticality
After a long wait, Bangladesh has approved the start of a controlled chain reaction at the first unit of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant in Pabna'sIshurdi.
The Bangladesh Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority (BAERA) granted the approval on Thursday, moving the unit from a static phase into active operation and opening the possibility of trial electricity supply to the national grid by late December, bdnews24 reports.
BAERA Chairman MahmudulHasan said two more regulatory approvals would be required before the unit can formally supply power to the grid.
Project officials said approval was delayed by technical complications involving the unit's automatic pressure-relief safety valves, known as PORV/POSV.
A team of Russian specialists later resolved the problems through a series of measures, and the system passed the required safety tests.
From Physical to Power Start-Up
With first criticality, the reactor will begin its first controlled, self-sustaining nuclear fission chain reaction.
After the physical start-up is completed, the project will enter the power start-up phase.
The reactor's thermal power will initially rise to 3 percent, before gradually increasing to 20-30 percent.
Once it reaches the required level, the generator can be synchronised with the national grid.
The operating organisation will need a separate trial operational licence from BAERA for the process.
Project officials expect trial production at varying power levels to continue for seven to eight months after grid connection.
Initially, the unit will be connected at low power before being raised gradually to 20-25 percent.
Once Rooppur begins supplying electricity, Bangladesh will become the 33rd country in the world to generate nuclear power.
The project's original deadline was December 2025. It has since been extended twice to June 2028.
Although the contract does not allow the project cost to rise because of extensions, exchange-rate changes have pushed costs up by about Tk 260 billion. The current project cost stands at Tk 1.39 trillion.
