Rampal to start power generation by end of 2021: BPDB chairman

Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) Chairman Engineer Belayet Hossain today said the 1,320 MW capacity Maitree Super Thermal Power Plant at Rampal in Bagerhat is expected to start power generation by the end of 2021.

He disclosed this while addressing the inaugural ceremony of the first batch of engineers' four-month induction training programme at the Rampal project as the chief guest.

"The skills of the employees can be improved by providing continuous training. Moreover, there is no substitute for training to generate the proper human resources to adapt to the ever-changing science and technology," he added.

The BPDB chairman said the country's power generation has achieved unprecedented development and the sector is now four times bigger than it was eleven years ago.

Bangladesh India Friendship Power Company Ltd (BIFPCL) Managing Director Animesh Jain, in his speech welcomed the young engineer trainees on their joining BIFPCL and mentioned that project activities had got momentum in all respects since September 2020, and had reached new heights from last month with the return of over 1,200 skilled manpower from India.

"Presently, over 7,000 people including 5,500 Bangladeshi workers are deployed at the project site and till date, the project has achieved 55 percent overall physical progress and around 60 percent financial progress," he said.

He said the project authorities are putting their best efforts to recover from Covid-19 related delays and plan to commission the first unit at Rampal project in December, 2021 in celebration of the Golden Jubilee of independence of Bangladesh.

"With the commissioning of 400 KV transmission systems, the second unit is also expected to be commissioned by June, 2022," he informed.