A Comprehensive Study on Social, Economic, and Environmental Approaches in Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, Bangladesh

The Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP), Bangladesh’s first nuclear power plant, is a major energy-infrastructure project with implications for energy security, economic development, society, and the environment. This study evaluates RNPP through an integrated social, economic, and environmental framework using documentary analysis, published baseline evidence, and illustrative engineering calculations; the household survey and environmental sampling components are presented as planned fieldwork and are not treated as completed results. The documentary analysis confirms that RNPP comprises two VVER-1200 units with a combined electrical capacity of 2,400 MW and that Unit 1 reached the fuel-loading milestone in May 2026. The project also has substantial financial exposure: the original construction contract was approximately US$12.65 billion, while the project cost in Bangladesh taka has subsequently risen because of exchange-rate and project-cost revisions. Environmental calculations indicate that, under the stated assumptions, a cooling-tower configuration would evaporate approximately 0.63 m³/s of water per unit, while a hypothetical once-through system would require about 60 m³/s per unit. Published pre-operational radiological studies around RNPP provide baseline evidence that can support future monitoring. The main potential benefits identified are reliable baseload electricity, reduced exposure to fossil-fuel price volatility, employment and skills development, and technological capacity building. The principal challenges are high capital and financing costs, schedule and implementation risks, radioactive-waste management, water and thermal impacts, emergency preparedness, and the need for sustained public confidence. Overall, the study finds that RNPP’s contribution to Bangladesh’s sustainable development will depend on effective regulation, transparent governance, continuous environmental and radiological monitoring, responsible waste management, and successful commissioning and operation.