The consignment arrived at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka aboard a special cargo aircraft at 11:43pm on Friday (October 2).
A senior official involved with the project confirmed the arrival. The nuclear fuel is scheduled to be transported from the airport to the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant site on Saturday under tight security and army supervision.
The aircraft had initially been scheduled to arrive in Bangladesh from Russia on Sept 24. However, the flight could not operate as planned after it failed to receive the necessary clearance to use Pakistani airspace.
According to project officials, nuclear fuel is planned to be brought to Bangladesh on nine cargo flights in total — two for the future refuelling of Unit 1 and seven for the initial fuel supply of Unit 2.
Rooppur project director Kabir Hossain earlier said 48 fuel assemblies for the refuelling of Unit 1 would be transported on two flights, while the fuel required for Unit 2 would arrive on seven flights.
Russia’s state nuclear energy corporation Rosatom has said fuel deliveries for Unit 2 will continue from October through December, with the programme expected to be completed by the end of December.
Project officials have said three more important tests must be completed before Unit 1 reaches the criticality stage. If those tests are completed as planned, electricity generation could begin by the end of the year.
Russia is supplying the nuclear fuel required to operate both units of the Rooppur plant. The consignments will be transported to the project site in phases under prescribed safety and security arrangements.
Source: Banglanews