Bangladesh gets first uranium shipment from Russia for its Moscow-built nuclear power plant

By JULHAS ALAM
Associated Press

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) — Bangladesh has received the first uranium shipment from Russia to fuel the country’s only nuclear power plant, still under construction by Moscow. Once finished, the Rooppur plant is expected to boost Bangladesh’s national electrical grid and help the South Asian nation’s growing economy. The plant is being constructed by Rosatom, Russia’s state nuclear energy corporation. Moscow has funded the construction with a $11.38 billion loan, to be repaid over two decades, starting from 2027. The uranium, which arrived in Bangladesh late last month, was handed over to the authorities at a ceremony in Ishwardi, where the plant is located, on Thursday. Russian President Vladimir Putin joined the ceremony by video link.