Bangladesh has formally entered the nuclear power era with the start of the operational phase of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant following fuel loading on April 28, raising hopes it will help the country better manage power demand.The largest electricity project with a combined capacity of 2,400 megawatts (MW) comes online as the country faces the threat of supply cuts from India’s Adani due to controversies surrounding the deal and pricing disputes.However, the nuclear plant will not offset Adani supply immediately. It is expected to initially add approximately 300 MW of power from the first unit (1,200 MW) by August 2026, and it will take 10-12 months to reach full capacity.The construction of the nuclear plant began more than eight years ago in Ishwardi, Pabna with financial and technical assistance from Russia at an estimated cost of USD 12.65 billion.At present, the country is facing severe power disruptions with a deficit of over 2,000 MW daily during peak time in the summer season.Amid the production deficit, the country remains highly dependent on India’s Adani Power which has been supplying an average of over 1,400 MW daily.Despite the ongoing dispute over the pricing formula, the government continued the supply contract with Adani as the supply cut would widen the electricity shortfall which may cause 10 to 12 hours of outages across the country.Data from Power Grid Bangladesh shows that daily projected power demand in April was 15,200 MW when generation was only over 12,500 MW, excluding Adani supply.Adani’s supply raises total available power to nearly 14,000 MW – but the country still faces a deficit of over 1,200 MW per day. Moreover, Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) projects that the demand will go up to 18,000 MW in coming months for one or two hours during peak time, which could cause a serious crisis.Also read: ‘Won’t Allow Power Producer to Blackmail Us’: Bangladesh Looks to Lower Prices in Deal With Adani GroupMoreover, the fuel shortage following the West Asia conflict has kept domestic plants operating below capacity, widening the generation gap.Bangladesh’s total installed power generation capacity, including captive sources, stands at 31,476 MW – nearly double the country’s peak demand of over 15,500 MW. Yet, much of this apparent surplus remains idle due to constraints in fuel supply and plant maintenance.To offset Adani’s supply cut, Bangladesh can import additional fuel, which would ultimately push power subsidies higher, given that Bangladesh has to pay capacity payments without receiving electricity.Capacity refers to installed generation potential, while generation refers to actual output.Why Bangladesh remains dependent on Adani“We already have significant capacity, but due to fuel shortages, we cannot utilise all of it. That’s why actual generation remains lower,” a senior Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) executive told The Wire.The Adani plant contributes around 1,400 MW on average. When it goes into maintenance, it adds roughly 700 MW of additional pressure to the system. So, when it is offline, load shedding increases significantly, to 8 to 10 hours.Once Rooppur comes online, it will add stability to the system. It will help reduce reliance on liquid fuel and ease overall pressure, he said.This will not happen immediately. During winter, when demand is lower, it might be possible. But in summer, Adani’s contribution remains important, he added.He said there were two main options – gas-based plants, if sufficient gas is available, and liquid fuel plants, which are the most expensive.Financial constraints are another major challenge, as around Tk 56,000 crore (equivalent to nearly USD 5 billion) in dues to power plants remain unpaid, he added.In reality, if Adani is removed from the power calculations, Bangladesh would need to increase liquid fuel usage, which would raise costs further, he said.He said Rooppur cannot fully replace Adani’s 1,400 MW supply, as it might provide 300–500 MW initially, which means Bangladesh remains reliant on Adani’s supplies.“If other plants are running below capacity due to fuel shortages, and the government decides to stop Adani, then we would need to import more fuel. That would increase costs.“If we could supply enough gas to idle gas plants, then we could reduce reliance on Adani,” he said.“But, liquid fuel is even more expensive than Adani. So if we cut Adani, we would have to increase liquid fuel, which increases losses.”“If we had coal or gas as alternatives, then removing Adani would be beneficial. But right now, that’s not the case. So Adani dependency is not reducing immediately.”At what stage is the Adani power deal?The Adani power agreement was signed in 2017 between BPDB and India’s Adani Power Limited for electricity supply from a coal-fired power plant in Godda in the Indian state of Jharkhand.The deal has long been criticised by energy experts and civil society groups for its high tariff, fuel pricing mechanism, lack of competitive bidding and alleged governance lapses.BPDB data shows Adani-supplied power is over 85% more expensive than other Indian imports, costing Tk 14.87 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) in financial year ’24 compared to Tk 8-10 per kWh from other suppliers.Also read: Bangladesh Central Bank Governor Says Adani Power Overcharged for CoalThe interim government led by Muhammad Yunus formed a committee to review the contracts signed under the “Speedy Increase of Power and Energy Supply (Special Provisions) Act, 2010”, during the Awami League rule.The committee found evidence of corruption in the Adani power deal process, but did not disclose the details of the report.According to the review report, Adani Power remains important for meeting Bangladesh’s summer electricity demand, but fundamental weaknesses in the contract have made it financially burdensome.The committee advised the government to take legal action against Adani but the decision was left for the next government.Meanwhile, Adani Power initiated arbitration at the Singapore International Arbitration Centre in 2025, claiming about USD 485 million in unpaid dues linked to the disputed coal tariff. Bangladesh also appointed a British law firm to represent BPDB in the mediation proceedings.However, Bangladesh also cleared the dues with Adani and continued the power supply deal.Adani’s coal-fired power plant in Jharkhand has a capacity of 1,600 MW, spread across two units with a capacity of 800 MW each. According to the agreement signed in 2017, Bangladesh will buy power from Adani’s plant for 25 years.How Rooppur will help to ease the power crisisIn 2015, the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission signed a contract with Russia’s JSC Atomstroyexport to build two VVER-1200 reactors with a combined capacity of 2,400 MW. Bangladesh and Russia signed a general construction contract worth USD 12.65 billion in December 2015 for the two-unit project.The Rooppur plant has an expected lifespan of 60-80 years, which could help reduce average electricity costs over time. Power is expected to be supplied at rates comparable to other low-cost sources.No specific tariff has been finalised yet, but considering the total installation and production cost, the per-unit tariff could range between Tk 4 and Tk 8, according to officials of the Ministry of Science and Technology.When fully operational, the plant is expected to contribute roughly 12% of Bangladesh’s total electricity generation capacity.