Bangladesh's first nuclear power plant located at Rooppur in Ishwardi of Pabna has made significant progress towards initiating nuclear fission in its first unit after regulators approved the results of safety valve tests, paving the way for the next phase of commissioning.

If work proceeds according to plan, the plant could begin supplying electricity to the national grid on a trial basis as early as next month, project officials said.

The Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant has two units, each with a generation capacity of 1,200 megawatts (MW). Once both units are fully operational, they are expected to contribute a combined 2,400 MW to the national grid, diversify the country's energy mix and reduce dependence on fossil fuels.

Officials concerned with the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Regulatory