BPDB: Rampal plant will start power generation by end of 2021

Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) Chairman Engineer Belayet Hossain on Tuesday said the 1320MW capacity Maitree Super Thermal Power Plant of Bangladesh-India Friendship Power Company Limited (BIFPCL) at Rampal in Bagerhat is expected to start its power generation by the end of 2021.

He made the disclosure while addressing the inaugural ceremony of the first batch of engineers’ four month long induction training program 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 imported coal will be used in this plant, ultra-super critical pressure, high efficiency, and less coal consumption are the principal features of the technology that has been adopted in this plant.

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

“Nearly 10,000MW power was added to the national grid in the last eleven years and the total generation capacity is now over 20,300MW and around 98% of the total population are under electricity coverage,” Belayet Hossain told the meeting adding that present government is pledged-bound to ensure 100% electricity coverage within Mujib birth centenary.

BIFPCL Managing Director Animesh Jain, in his presidential speech, welcomed the young engineer trainees on their joining BIFPCL and mentioned that project activities had got momentum in all respect since September 2020, and had reached into new height from last month with return of over 1,200 skilled manpower from India.

“Presently over 7,000 people including 5,500 Bangladeshi workers are deployed in project site and till to date, the project has achieved 55% overall physical progress and around 60% financial progress,” he informed.

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He said that the project authorities are putting in their best efforts to recover from the 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 400KV transmission systems, the second unit is also expected to be commissioned by June, 2022,’ he informed.

BIFPCL for its Rampal power project, has inducted 47 engineers from the best engineering colleges in Bangladesh who were recruited through rigorous selection process, plant officials said.

The first batch of engineering trainees will undergo one month class room and practical training at Rampal project site.

Animesh Jain further stated that during the training, the trainees would be exposed to latest environment friendly power generation technologies, visit power plants and power equipment’s manufacturing facilities.

“BIFPCL is investing heavily in these young engineers, to groom them up as the future power professionals for Bangladesh,” he said.

Bagerhat Deputy Commissioner Md Mamunur Rashid, Bagerhat Superintendent of Police Pankaj Chandra Roy, Rampal Power Project Director SC Pandey, Deputy Project Director Md Rezaul Karim and senior officials of the company were also present.

BIFPCL, as part of its contribution towards development of power sector in Bangladesh, has recruited first batch of Engineer trainees for Maitree Super Thermal Power Project at Rampal.