Russia to ship nuclear fuel for Rooppur power plant by air

Russia has decided to deliver nuclear fuel for the Rooppur nuclear power plant (RNPP) of Bangladesh through air shipment due to sanctions on its 69 vessels to berth in the seaports of Bangladesh, the Financial Express reports citing sources.

The first fuel-carrying Russian cargo aircraft is expected to arrive in Bangladesh in next October to deliver fresh nuclear fuel, the sources said.

A group of Rosatom experts visited Bangladesh recently to inspect the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) infrastructure and runway.

They also inspected the roads from the airport to the RNPP construction site to make sure that there will be no transportation problem in this regard, a senior official at the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC) told.

Russia's state-owned Rosatom will bear all the costs related to the fuel delivery.

Bangladesh and India refused docking permission for a Russian vessel, Sparta 3, in December 2022 and January 2023 respectively amid western sanctions imposed following Russia-Ukraine war. The vessel was carrying equipment for the RNPP being built in Bangladesh.

Bangladesh also joined the United States and European Union sanctions against Russian vessels and the Bangladesh shipping ministry has banned 69 Russian ships from calling at its ports.

The Rooppur project in Bangladesh is fully on track as all the necessary equipment continues to arrive at the construction site, Rosatom said.

Three ships carrying cargo for the under construction plant called the port of Mongla in January and February last. Russian companies continue manufacturing core equipment for the plant under construction.