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Bangladesh Begins Fuelling Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant

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Bangladesh commenced fuelling its first-ever nuclear power station, the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, located in Ishwardi, Pabna district. Built with Russian (Rosatom) assistance, the plant uses VVER-1200 pressurised water reactors with a combined capacity of 2,400 MW (2 units of 1,200 MW each). The project cost is approximately $12.65 billion, financed partly by a Russian credit line of $11.38 billion. This makes Bangladesh the 33rd country to join the nuclear power club.

Key Facts & Details

10 points
  • 1
    Bangladesh begins fuelling Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant — its first nuclear plant
  • 2
    Located in Ishwardi, Pabna district, Bangladesh
  • 3
    Built by Russia's Rosatom using VVER-1200 reactors
  • 4
    Total capacity: 2,400 MW (2 x 1,200 MW units)
  • 5
    Project cost: approximately $12.65 billion
  • 6
    Bangladesh becomes the 33rd country to generate nuclear power

Deep Dive

  • +
    VVER (Water-Water Energetic Reactor) is a Russian-designed pressurised water reactor
  • +
    Rosatom is Russia's state nuclear energy corporation
  • +
    India's Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant in Tamil Nadu also uses VVER-1000 reactors from Russia
  • +
    Bangladesh's electricity demand has been growing at 8-10% annually
Q

Exam Focus

Likely MCQ: What is the name of Bangladesh's first nuclear power plant? Answer: Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant

Related Topics

Nuclear PowerBangladeshRosatomRooppur

Exam Relevance & Angle

International Relations, Science & Technology: Nuclear power, South Asian energy security, and India's neighbours are tested in UPSC and Banking exams.

Target Exams

UPSC CSESSC CGLSBI POIBPS POState PCS

Background & Context

The Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant project was first conceived in 1961 but took decades to materialise. A formal agreement between Bangladesh and Russia was signed in 2011, and construction began in 2017.

India has a significant nuclear power programme with 22 operational reactors. The Kudankulam plant in Tamil Nadu, built with Russian collaboration, uses similar VVER technology. India operates under the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) waiver since 2008.

Related GK Concepts

Must Know
RooppurNuclear powerRosatomVVER reactorBangladeshKudankulam

Test Yourself

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What type of reactor is used in Bangladesh's Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant?

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Bangladesh Begins Fuelling Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant — Current Affairs 2026-04-29