The Ministry of Science and Technology has announced that a nuclear reaction has been successfully initiated at the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant.
The reaction began for the first time at around 3:30pm on Sunday, the ministry said in its announcement.
A ministry official stated that several days would be needed to ensure the reaction remained stable, which will be followed by a series of tests at different stages of the plant’s commissioning.
The plant could begin generating electricity from November 20, the official added.
Located in Ishwardi, Pabna, Rooppur is Bangladesh’s first nuclear power project.
The facility features two VVER-1200 reactors, which are expected to generate a combined 2,400MW of electricity once both units are fully operational.
Why it matters
The successful initiation of the nuclear reaction at Rooppur advances Bangladesh's progress toward achieving its national electricity generation capacity goals.