Electricity generation at the second unit of the Rampal Power Plant in Bagerhat came to a complete halt on Sunday following a sudden technical malfunction. The 660-megawatt unit was taken offline at around 11:00 am. However, power transmission to the national grid from the plant’s first unit continues without interruption.
Anwarul Azim, General Manager of Human Resources at the Rampal Power Plant, confirmed the shutdown to reporters. He stated that engineers and technical teams are working on site to repair the fault, estimating that it will take at least four days to restore operations. He did not elaborate on the precise nature or cause of the mechanical breakdown.
The 1,320-megawatt coal-fired power station, formally known as the Maitree Super Thermal Power Project, was developed as a joint venture between Bangladesh and India. The initiative gained momentum following a bilateral agreement signed on 29 January 2012 between the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) and India’s National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) Limited. The project was executed under the banner of the Bangladesh-India Friendship Power Company (Private) Limited (BIFPCL).
Constructed at an estimated cost of nearly 160 billion Taka, the facility spans 1,034 acres across the Sapmari-Katakhali mouzas within the Rajnagar and Gourambha unions of Rampal Upazila. Following an extensive construction phase, the plant’s first unit commenced power generation on 23 December 2022. The second unit entered experimental production on 24 October 2023, subsequently transitioning to formal commercial operations on 12 March 2024.
Despite its commercial rollout, the power plant has faced recurring operational hiccups. Plant sources reveal that the second unit alone has experienced operational shutdowns over thirty times due to repeated technical glitches, maintenance difficulties, and fuel supply constraints.
