Bangladesh's first nuclear power plant: two Russian-designed VVER-1200 units of 1,200 MWe gross each (2,400 MWe gross in total), built by Rosatom under a USD 12.65 billion contract signed in December 2015. Unit 1 construction began in November 2017 and unit 2 in July 2018. Unit 1 received its operating licence on April 16, 2026, was loaded with 163 fuel assemblies, and reached minimum controllable power at 15:34 on October 11, 2026, about three days after regulatory approval. Power start-up is planned for November 20, 2026 per Rosatom, followed by staged power increases and grid connection; the World Nuclear Association profile cites commercial operation targets of December 2026 for unit 1 and December 2027 for unit 2. The record date is the start of unit 1 construction.