Power generation resumes at Barapukuria Thermal Power Plant

Electricity generation has resumed at Unit 1 of the Barapukuria Thermal Power Plant following a six-day shutdown.

The unit is currently supplying around 55–60 megawatts of electricity to the national grid, offering some relief from load-shedding in the northern region.

Chief Engineer Abu Bakkar Siddique said the unit resumed production at 10:00pm on Friday after necessary repairs.

The plant, which has a total installed capacity of 525 megawatts across three units, brought its 125-megawatt Unit 1 back online after fixing a ruptured boiler pipe that had forced its closure on 25 April.

Meanwhile, maintenance work is under way at the 275-megawatt Unit 3, which is expected to return to operation by mid-May. Once operational, it is expected to further strengthen power supply to the national grid.

Authorities have also decided to repair and restart Unit 2, another 125-megawatt unit that has remained out of service for the past five years.

The Barapukuria Thermal Power Plant, established in 2006, was designed to utilise coal from the nearby Barapukuria coal mine and support irrigation in eight agriculture-dependent northern districts. Initially, the plant began operations with two 125-megawatt units, with a third 275-megawatt unit added in 2017.