Rosatom receives license to operate Unit 1 at Rooppur NPP in Bangladesh

MOSCOW. April 23 (Interfax) - Rosatom specialists have conducted a final readiness check of Unit 1 at the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant in Bangladesh, and the state nuclear energy corporation has received its operating license, the company said.

"The next stage at Unit 1 will be the physical startup, during which 163 fuel assemblies with nuclear fuel will be loaded into the reactor core," Atomstroyexport Vice President Alexei Deriya said.

The unit will be brought up to the minimum controllable power level in 2026, followed by the power startup phase, which includes the supply of electricity to the Bangladesh grid, Deriya said.

Rosatom CEO Alexei Likhachev said in February 2026 said that the company was approaching the start of commissioning work at the Rooppur NPP, with the first power unit planned to be commissioned by the end of 2026. The NPP in Bangladesh will comprise two power units with total capacity of 2400 MW.