Rooppur

Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant is a nuclear energy facility under construction in Rooppur, an area of Ishwardi Upazila in Pabna District, Bangladesh, on the banks of the Padma River. The project plans two 1,200 megawatt pressurized water reactors, giving a total potential capacity of about 2,400 MW of electricity when both units are in operation.

Bangladesh and Russia began the project with an intergovernmental agreement in 2011 and a 2015 framework agreement for construction. Atomstroyexport, a Rosatom subsidiary, serves as the main contractor, supplying the VVER-1200 reactors and related systems, with Russia providing significant loan financing. Reported total project costs are in the vicinity of $12 billion or more.

The design centers on the VVER-1200 reactor technology, featuring modern safety and containment systems and a robust accident prevention architecture. The project is overseen by the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission and regulated by the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority, with input from international bodies such as the IAEA as part of safety reviews.

As of 2024, construction continued with a timetable that envisages commissioning the first unit in the mid- to late-2020s and the second unit to follow after the first becomes operational. Proponents say the plant would help diversify Bangladesh’s energy mix and enhance energy security, while opponents raise concerns about safety, long-term radioactive waste management, cost and debt burden, regulatory independence, and potential environmental impacts on the Padma river ecosystem and nearby communities.