Bangladesh’s power crisis deepens:Pakistan blocks Russian flight carrying nuclear fuel for Rooppur power plant

Pakistan denied airspace clearance to a Russian flight carrying nuclear fuel for Bangladesh. The flight was due to arrive in Dhaka on 24 September. However, the delivery has now been postponed. The fuel was being sent to Bangladesh’s Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, where it is to be used to generate electricity. The incident comes as Bangladesh is facing a severe power crisis. Several villages are experiencing power cuts lasting 10 to 16 hours a day. The delay in the fuel’s arrival could postpone the start of electricity generation. This could affect the country’s energy infrastructure. Approval not received till last moment Russia’s state-owned nuclear company Rosatom is building Bangladesh’s Rooppur plant and is also supplying its nuclear fuel. A Russian flight carrying the first batch of fuel for Unit 2 was scheduled to reach Dhaka via Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Pakistan and India. All arrangements to unload the fuel at the airport were ready. However, Bangladeshi officials were then told that Russia had not received permission to use Pakistani airspace. Bangladesh Science and Technology Minister Fakir Mahbub Anam said Pakistan had not given a specific reason for denying permission. Fuel to arrive via another route from October According to The Daily Star, Rosatom has now chosen another route for fuel deliveries. Supplies will resume from October. Rosatom said the remaining fuel would be delivered to Bangladesh through seven separate cargo flights by December. The company said the delay would not affect the overall schedule of the Rooppur plant. Pakistan’s High Commission in Dhaka described the issue as a technical and procedural matter. It said Pakistan attaches great importance to its ties with Bangladesh and that the incident should be viewed in this technical context. Bangladesh’s first nuclear power plant Bangladesh signed an agreement with Russia in 2011 to meet its growing electricity needs. Under the plan, the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant was to be built on the banks of the Padma river, around 160 km from Dhaka. It is the country’s first nuclear power plant. The project is being built under the leadership of Russia’s state nuclear agency Rosatom at an estimated cost of $12.65 billion. Work began in 2017. Bangladeshi officials say electricity generation is expected to begin in December 2026 if everything goes as planned. Rooppur plant already two years behind schedule The Rooppur plant is part of Bangladesh’s major plan to increase electricity supply. Its construction has been delayed by around two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war. Nuclear fuel loading began at Unit 1 in April, followed by final testing in August. The plant is preparing to send around 300 MW of electricity from Unit 1 to the national grid on a trial basis in October. Commercial power generation is expected to begin in December. If this happens, Bangladesh will become the world’s 33rd country to generate nuclear power. Gas shortage and imports worsen Bangladesh’s problems Bangladesh’s power system has long depended heavily on natural gas. The country imports a large share of its gas at high prices to meet its needs. Tensions in West Asia following the Iran war have also affected gas supplies. Around one-fifth of the world’s energy supply passes through the Strait of Hormuz. Its closure has further increased pressure on energy-importing countries such as Bangladesh. The power crisis has also affected factories in Bangladesh. Garment, food, ceramic and pharmaceutical companies have had to reduce production. Hospitals have also faced power cuts, with nurses reportedly using torches to care for patients. In this situation, starting the Rooppur nuclear plant quickly is important for Bangladesh. It could increase domestic electricity supply and reduce dependence on imported energy.