Nuclear Power & Energy Division of Head Quarter

Objective of the Division

Rooppur Nuclear Power Project(RNPP),Pabna Nuclear Power, being technically feasible and economically attractive proposition, should be introduced in the energy scenario of Bangladesh at the earliest possible time so as to have an appropriate energy mix and ensure the availability fo necessary energy for future economic development of the country. With this end in view, the project was approved for a 70 MWe nuclear power plant in 1963. 140Mwe in 1966, 200 MW in 1969 125 MW in 1980 and Project Proposals were offered by U.S.A., Belgium, Sweden, USSR and France. None of the schemes could be materialized due to tack of necessary financing in view of better cost economics of a larger plant and possibilities of safe integration, BAEC recommended installation of a 300 MW dnuclear power plant at Rooppur. The National Energy Committee in July 1981 also decided to raise the capacity of nuclear plant for Rooppur to 300 MW and—directed to arrange finance for the project BAEC accordingly prepared and submitted a fresh project proposal to planning Commission in September. 1981. The latest feasibility study for implementing the proposed Rooppur Nuclear Power Project was conducted in 1987 and 1988 by M/S Lahmeyer International of Germany in association with Motor Columbus of Switzerland. The report was presented before the govt. in 1980\9 and the last meeting of the implementation committee was held in 1990. The projected size of the national grid suggests that a reactor of size 300-500 Mwe could be integrated into it by the turn of the century. Reactors of size 600 Mwe or larger could be constructed later on. A project implementation committee has been constituted with the honorable prime Minister as its Chairman. Efforts are now being made to identify and explore probable financers for the project.