Can Rooppur Nuclear Plant Reduce Bangladesh's Reliance on Adani Power? |
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Bangladesh has formally entered the nuclear power era with the start of the operational phase of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant following fuel loading on April 28, raising hopes it will help the country better manage power demand.
The largest electricity project with a combined capacity of 2,400 megawatts (MW) comes online as the country faces the threat of supply cuts from India’s Adani due to controversies surrounding the deal and pricing disputes.
However, the nuclear plant will not offset Adani supply immediately. It is expected to initially add approximately 300 MW of power from the first unit (1,200 MW) by August 2026, and it will take 10-12 months to reach full capacity.
The construction of the nuclear plant began more than eight years ago in Ishwardi, Pabna with financial and technical assistance from Russia at an estimated cost of USD 12.65 billion.
At present, the country is facing severe power disruptions with a deficit of over 2,000 MW daily during peak time in the summer season.
Amid the production deficit, the country remains highly dependent on India’s Adani Power which has been supplying an average of over 1,400 MW daily.
Despite the ongoing dispute over the pricing formula, the government continued the supply contract with Adani as the supply cut would widen the electricity shortfall which may cause 10 to 12 hours of outages across the country.
Data from Power Grid Bangladesh shows that daily projected power demand in April was 15,200 MW when generation was only over 12,500 MW, excluding Adani supply.
Adani’s supply raises total available power to nearly 14,000 MW – but the country still faces a deficit of over 1,200 MW per day. Moreover, Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) projects that the demand will go up to 18,000 MW in coming months for one or two hours during peak time, which could cause a serious crisis.
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