The installation of the steel structures of the outer containment dome has been completed in record time at unit 2 of the Rooppur nuclear power plant in Bangladesh, Russia's state nuclear corporation Rosatom announced.

The lower tier of the outer dome of the second unit of the Rooppur nuclear power plant in Bangladesh has been lifted into place. Meanwhile Rosatom says it expects to deliver the first fuel to the plant in October.

The first fuel for Rooppur 1's initial load has been formally accepted by the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission after an inspection at the Novosibirsk Chemical Concentrates Plant in Russia. Meanwhile, installation of the unit's eight heat exchangers has been completed at the plant site in Bangladesh.

An official ceremony has been held to mark the issuing of licences from the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority for nuclear fuel, which is expected to be delivered to the Rooppur nuclear power plant later this year.

The country expects to take delivery of the first fuel for the Rooppur plant in September, as it gears up for the Russian-designed and supplied plant to begin commercial operations next year.

Bangladesh is to make its payments to Russia for the Rooppur nuclear power plant construction in Chinese yuan as a result of sanctions stopping payments in US dollars.

The concreting of the outer containment building of unit 1 of the Rooppur nuclear power plant in Bangladesh has been completed in 110 days, 45 days ahead of schedule, Rosatom has said.

Bangladesh's ambassador in Moscow was summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry after "several dozen" Russian vessels were banned from calling at ports in Bangladesh, including at least one ship carrying equipment for the Rooppur nuclear power plant under construction.

Bangladesh is committed to continuous improvement of nuclear and radiation safety, an International Atomic Energy Agency team of experts has concluded. The Integrated Regulatory Review Service mission team identified areas for possible improvements.

The flushing of the active and passive safety systems with the open reactor is part of the pre-commissioning operations for the first unit at the Rooppur nuclear power plant in Bangladesh.

Work is taking place to install the dome part of the outer containment building for unit 1 at the Rooppur nuclear power plant in Bangladesh.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has hailed the benefits to come at an event coinciding with the installation of the reactor pressure vessel at Rooppur 2, the second unit of Bangladesh's first nuclear power plant.