Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant will not commence commercial power production until at least three transmission lines are fully operational, as stipulated by Russian engineers.
Thus far, only two lines have been completed, with the third expected to be ready by February, according to sources within the Power Division.
Initially, production was planned to commence in 2023 with 1,200 MW from the first unit and an additional 1,200 MW from the second unit in 2024.
However, delays in substation and transmission line preparations postponed the initial production date to December this year. Now, full commercial production will likely begin in March 2025.
A total of five dedicated transmission lines were commissioned for the plant, including Rooppur-Bogura, Rooppur-Baghabari, Rooppur-Gopalganj, Rooppur-Dhamrai, and Rooppur-Kaliakoir.
Among these, the Rooppur-Bogra and Rooppur-Baghabari lines are ready, while work on the Rooppur-Gopalganj line is scheduled for completion in February, thus aiming for a March 2024 operational start, as per Power Division sources.
Progress on the Rooppur-Gopalganj line stands at 92%, with only the Padma River crossing remaining.
Meanwhile, the Rooppur-Dhamrai and Rooppur-Kaliakoir lines also require river crossings, delaying their completion until September 2025.
The Rooppur-Dhamrai line is currently 69% complete, while work on crossing the Jamuna River into Manikganj District continues. The Rooppur-Kaliakoir line is similarly delayed due to the Jamuna River crossing.
Commercial production date had already been postponed to December 2024 by the previous government, with the second unit’s operation rescheduled to December 2025.
However, due to incomplete transmission lines, the project will not achieve its 2024 production target.
Initially, production was slated for 2023, but Western sanctions on Russia complicated equipment delivery from Siemens, the German firm responsible for providing a 233/400 kV GIS substation.
When Siemens ultimately refused to deliver the substation, a new contractor, a Chinese firm, was brought in.
Power Grid Company of Bangladesh (PGCB), responsible for overseeing transmission line construction, has been unable to meet the original deadlines, leading to a mutually agreed delay in the commercial production start date.
PGCB sources report that the total transmission line length for the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant spans 669 km, including 464 km of 400 kV and 205 km of 230 kV transmission lines, with 20 km reserved for river crossings—13 km for 400 kV and 7 km for 230 kV lines.
Crossings over large rivers like the Padma and Jamuna make these sections particularly challenging and time-consuming. Due to a dollar shortage, contractors faced delayed payments, further complicating project timelines.
While most project components are complete, river crossings are causing the primary delays, funded by local financial resources.
The project, Bangladesh’s most expensive infrastructure initiative, has received substantial funding from Russia, with an overall project cost of Tk1.13 lakh crore, of which Tk93,000 crore is covered by Russian financing.
Nuclear power’s primary advantage is its stable pricing, promising a consistent supply at fixed rates over a 60-year period. In contrast, fuel-based plants fluctuate in cost, making nuclear power a more economical and environmentally friendly option.
Upon the plant’s production commencement, Bangladesh plans to retire costly oil-fired power plants, thereby reducing the average cost of power generation, as anticipated by the Bangladesh Power Development Board.
However, nuclear power poses unique challenges, particularly in constructing suitable transmission lines and balancing supply and demand.
Globally, there are currently 449 nuclear power plants across 30 countries, contributing approximately 12% of the world’s total power generation.
An additional 65 plants are under construction across 14 nations, and by 2025, nuclear power expansion is expected across 27 countries, with a projected 173 plants in various stages of development.
Notably, 30 of these nuclear plants are being built in nations new to nuclear energy, including Bangladesh.
