The coal based Maitree Super Thermal Power Plant at Rampal started into commercial run on Saturday night, successfully synchronized 660 megawatt (MW) electricity with the national grid of the country.

Earlier, India-Bangladesh Power Sector Cooperation, Unit-I of the 2×660 MW Maitree Super Thermal Power Project was successfully synchronized with the national grid on August 15, 2022 providing 91.7 MW of electricity to the national grid.

On June, 2023, more 660 MW of electricity will be synchronized to the national grid, an official of the project told BSS today.

Confirming into commercial production has been started from Saturday night, managing director of BIFPCL Sayeed Ekram Ullah said, “We have started supplying electricity commercially. All type of technical works has already been done considering environment. The power plant will strengthen ties between two neighboring countries side by side playing vital role to development of the area.”

Being built at an estimated cost of Taka 16,000 crore, the plant aims to produce a total of 1,320 MW of electricity in its two units (660 megawatts in each).

Apparently to address the environmental issues in a more judicious manner, Anwarul Azim, deputy manager of the project said, 660 MW of electricity is being produced from the first unit. Already 79.35 percent work of the second unit has been completed. If everything goes well, the rest of work will be completed by June 2023.

The Maitree Super Thermal Power Project is being constructed under the Government of India’s Concessional Financing Scheme. It is being built by Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) for the Bangladesh-India Friendship Power Company Private Ltd. (BIFPCL), a 50:50 Joint Venture company between India’s National Thermal Power Company (NTPC)Ltd and Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB).

The 1,320 (2×660) MW coal-fired thermal power plant is being set up at a cost of approximately US$ 2 billion and is located in Rampal, in the Bagerhat district of Khulna Division.

Situated on some 915.5 acres of land, cent percent power to be generated from this plant would be supplied inside Bangladesh. To transmit and thus distribute electricity from this plant, the 230 KV double circuit line to
Khulna is ready while the 400 KV double circuit line to Dhaka is now ready up to Gopalganj.