Indian Engineers Yet to Arrive

Amid severe nationwide load-shedding, Unit 2 of the Rampal Maitree Super Thermal Power Plant in Bagerhat has remained shut for four days due to an overheated boiler and technical complications. The shutdown has pushed the 1,320-megawatt plant’s total generation below 600 megawatts, reducing its supply to the national grid and worsening load-shedding.

As of Thursday, September 17, the two specialist engineers expected to arrive from India to address the technical problems at Unit 2 had yet to reach Bangladesh. As a result, the authorities could not provide a confirmed timeline for resuming generation from the unit.

The development was confirmed by Anwarul Azim, chief human resources officer of Bangladesh-India Friendship Power Company Limited.

According to the company, Bangladeshi engineers have already started the initial repair work on the boiler. The remaining technical work will be carried out after the two Indian specialists arrive. Azim said it could take another three to four days to restart the unit after their arrival.

Before the shutdown, the Rampal plant was supplying more than 1,100 megawatts of electricity to the national grid every day. Because of mechanical and technical problems, the plant had not been able to consistently generate its full 1,320-megawatt capacity. After Unit 2 was shut down, total generation fell from more than 1,100 megawatts to below 600 megawatts.

According to information provided by the Rampal Maitree power plant, Bangladesh and India took the initiative to build the plant jointly in 2010. On January 29, 2012, the Bangladesh Power Development Board and India’s NTPC signed an agreement, leading to the formation of Bangladesh-India Friendship Power Company Limited.

The 1,320-megawatt Maitree Super Thermal Power Project was constructed on 1,034 acres of acquired land in the Sapmari-Kaigorddashkathi area of Rajnagar and Gourambha unions in Rampal upazila of Bagerhat at a cost of around Tk 16,000 crore.

After a lengthy construction process, the plant’s 660-megawatt Unit 1 began generation on December 23, 2022. Unit 2 began trial generation on October 24, 2023. The plant formally entered commercial operation on March 12, 2024.

Since beginning commercial generation, the plant has reportedly suspended generation more than 30 times due to technical faults and other operational problems.
//DBTech/BMO/SME/MIS//