The launch of the two unit Rooppur NPP under construction in Bangladesh has been delayed by several months, according to the Chinese industry publication Polaris Electric News Network, citing representatives of the project. According to the latest plan, units 1 and 2 are now scheduled to be commissioned in February 2024 and late 2024. It was previously assumed that unit 1 would be put into operation in 2023 and unit 2 in 2024.
The Rooppur plant is being built by Rosatom on the eastern bank of the Ganges River in Bangladesh’s Pabna district about 160 km northwest of the capital city of Dhaka. It will comprise two VVER-1200 reactors.
In November 2011, Russia and Bangladesh signed an intergovernmental agreement on cooperation in the construction of the NPP and in mid-December 2015, a general contract was signed. The general contractor is Atomstroyexport (an enterprise of Rosatom).
In early 2017, the Russian government provided Bangladesh with a state loan of $11.38 billion to finance the main stage of the NPP construction, which began in 2021. Currently, the construction of both units is underway and progressing.
The delay has not been confirmed by Rosatom.
Image: Inner containment construction at the Rooppur nuclear power plant in Bangaldesh (courtesy of Rosatom)
