Rooppur plant reaches major milestone with Dummy Fuel Loading

The Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP) has reached a significant milestone as the loading of dummy fuel assemblies (DFA) into the reactor pressure vessels of Unit-1 began yesterday.
This marks a crucial step towards commissioning Bangladesh’s first nuclear power plant, according to project officials.
Project Director Dr Zahedul Hasan confirmed that a total of 163 DFAs and 115 “Control and Protection System Absorber Rods” will be loaded into Unit-1 over the next two weeks.
The dummy fuel, which is identical in size and weight to real fuel but contains no uranium, will allow for essential testing of reactor machinery.
“Before startup, it is necessary to check the machinery in the reactor building. The dummy fuel simulates real fuel, generating the required temperatures for test operations,” Zahedul explained.
The DFA loading will ensure that the reactor core’s geometry and hydraulic parameters are correctly modeled, facilitating safe operation during future tests. It is also a vital step in mastering the refuelling process using automated machinery.
Russian atomic agency Rosatom, which is assisting in the project, confirmed that work is being conducted around the clock, with each DFA taking an average of 25 minutes to load using the automatic refuelling machine.
Following the completion of DFA loading, preparations for reactor circulation flushing and cold and hot tests will begin, according to Denis Muzlov, director of Atomtechenergo’s Bangladesh branch.
Despite this progress, the overall project faces delays due to incomplete grid line construction. While 70 percent of the physical work on Unit-1 is done, and financial progress stands at 67 percent, the absence of a functional grid line — especially across the Padma and Jamuna rivers — hinders further advancement.
“After the DFA loading, we will be ready to load real fuel and physically start the plant. However, without the grid line, we cannot begin turbine test runs,” Dr Zahedul said, without confirming a launch date.
Nuclear engineering professor Md Shafikul Islam from Dhaka University told The Daily Star that further delays in launching the plant could be costly for Bangladesh’s economy, as nuclear power projects are both technically complex and financially demanding.
The original schedule aimed for Unit-1’s launch in 2023 and Unit-2’s in 2024, with final handover in 2025. However, the timeline has been extended, and while nuclear fuel for Unit-1 arrived last year, further delays now appear inevitable.
Project officials have declined to comment on a revised launch date.