The third shipment of `fresh fuel` or nuclear fuel from the Rooppur nuclear power project has arrived. Engineer Ashraful Islam, site director of the project, said, "Through special security protocols, the nuclear power project reached the area around 9:30 this morning."
Earlier yesterday the third shipment of fuel from Russia was brought to Dhaka airport by special plane. It was then accepted by the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Agency. Earlier last Thursday, the third shipment of fuel arrived at Dhaka Airport from Russia by special plane.
According to project sources, 168 assembled fresh nuclear fuel in 7 batches for the first unit will reach the project area within this year.
Project Director of Rooppur Nuclear Power Project. Md. Shaukat Akbar said, "According to the schedule of the project, the commissioning of the first unit will be in 2024. Commissioning of the first unit will require 163 assembled fuels. For this, 168 assembled fuels in 7 shipments will reach the country within this year."
Earlier, the first shipment of nuclear fuel arrived on September 29 and the second shipment reached the project area on October 6.
After reaching the nuclear fuel project area, they are being unloaded, checked and measured and stored as per international norms, said top officials of the project.
Meanwhile, vehicular movement in the project area was restricted on Friday for the transportation of nuclear fuel.
Ashish Kumar Sanyal, officer-in-charge of Pakshi Highway Police Station, said, "During the transportation of nuclear fuel, traffic remains stopped on highway. For this reason, traffic was stopped on the Kushtia-Banpara highway for an hour in the morning.
Earlier on October 5, Russia handed over the certificate and model of nuclear fuel to Bangladesh for the Rooppur project through the graduation ceremony. Through this, Bangladesh becomes the 33rd nuclear energy user in the world.
