1 week ago
Russia and Bangladesh are holding discussions regarding a potential expanding phase of high-capacity reactor units at the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant near Dhaka, according to Aleksey Likhachev, chief executive of Russia's state-backed nuclear corporation Rosatom.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Russian Energy Week forum, Likhachev stated that while Bangladeshi officials are reviewing several nuclear energy concepts, expanding the current site remains the central focus.
“We are primarily talking about a possible additional phase of large units,” Likhachev told reporters. “Although our Bangladeshi friends are also discussing small-capacity units and a research reactor with us, the main trend for future development, in my view, is increasing the capacity of the Rooppur NPP.”
He noted that Bangladesh has also asked Rosatom to provide proposals for “small nuclear power plants and floating nuclear power plants.”
The Rooppur project, which is Bangladesh's first nuclear power station, currently consists of two Russian-designed reactors with a joint capacity of 2,400 megawatts. Total project expenditures are estimated at up to $12.8 billion, supported by $11.9 billion in Russian state loans. Russia is providing the necessary equipment, nuclear fuel, and engineering assistance for the facility.
Progress on the project reached a milestone on Sunday when the first unit attained criticality, the point at which a self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction takes place. The unit is expected to link to the Bangladeshi power grid by the end of November, while Rosatom anticipates starting the commissioning process for the second unit next year. Once fully completed, the power plant is slated to supply as much as 12% of Bangladesh's power needs.
Why It Matters
Rosatom is one of the world's leading exporters of commercial nuclear technology, building nuclear power facilities across several developing nations in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. Because nuclear energy projects require decades of continuous cooperation for fuel supply, technical maintenance, and regulatory oversight, these agreements serve as a cornerstone of Russian foreign policy and economic influence abroad. For fast-growing economies like Bangladesh, nuclear energy offers a reliable baseline supply of electricity needed to support rapid urbanization and industrial expansion while mitigating exposure to volatile global fossil fuel markets.
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