The Rooppur nuclear power plant’s first unit is expected to start commercial production by December 2024, but a two-year delay in transmission line construction means the electricity won’t reach Dhaka yet. Six high-voltage transmission lines, including river-crossing sections, are under construction.
Despite challenges, the first unit’s electricity can be added to the national grid via non-river crossing lines, reaching Gopalganj and Bogura. However, without the river-crossing lines, Dhaka won’t receive the power, even though the demand in the Dhaka division alone is around 4000MW, surpassing the country’s total supply of approximately 9500MW.
The second unit’s operation may face delays if river-crossing lines are not ready by September 2025. The transmission line project’s complexities and delays stem from the tendering process and pricing issues. Energy experts emphasize completing the entire transmission infrastructure before initiating commercial power generation to avoid complications seen in other projects.
