Dhaka, Oct 22 (V7N) – The assembly of the reactor for the first power unit of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant has been successfully completed, according to a press release from Rosatom's Engineering Division on Sunday.

The reactor assembly process included the installation of internal components such as the shaft, enclosure, fuel element simulators, protective tube unit, upper block, and startup measuring system sensors. Rosatom added that hydraulic tests will be conducted next to verify the operability of the reactor unit's equipment.

The Rooppur plant, situated 160 kilometers from Dhaka, features two Russian VVER-1200 reactors. The government signed a $12.65 billion contract with Moscow in 2015 to build the facility, and in 2016, Bangladesh secured $11.385 billion in credit from Russia to cover 90% of the project’s cost.

The Ministry of Science and Technology recently announced that the first unit is expected to begin operation in July 2024, with the second unit set to start in July 2025. Once both units are online, the plant will have a total power generation capacity of 2,400 MW. The first unit's physical and structural completion is over 90%, while the second unit is around 70% complete.

According to the World Nuclear Association, countries currently utilizing nuclear energy include the US, China, France, Russia, and several others.

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