Dinajpur, Sep 16 (V7N) - The third unit of the Barapukuria coal-fired power plant in Dinajpur, with a capacity of 275 MW, has resumed operations after a six-day shutdown. On Sunday, September 15, at 1:59 PM, production restarted following the installation of a new oil pump. Though the unit’s capacity is 275 MW, it is currently generating 200-220 MW of electricity, which is being supplied to the national grid. To maintain this production level, the plant requires 2,200-2,300 metric tons of coal per day.

The third unit initially resumed operations on September 6, but had to shut down again on September 9 due to an oil pump failure. Meanwhile, the first unit of the power plant, with a capacity of 125 MW, resumed power generation on September 12. However, this unit is producing 60-65 MW daily, also contributing to the national grid. It requires 800-900 metric tons of coal per day to operate.

At present, the combined output from the two units amounts to 285 MW, which is being added to the national grid. Plant officials hope this will help reduce load shedding in the northern region.

The Barapukuria coal-fired power plant, with a total capacity of 525 MW, is operated by Chinese contractor Harbin International, under a five-year agreement set to end in 2025. The plant relies on coal supplied by the Barapukuria coal mine.

Though the plant has three units, it usually operates only two at a time, with one unit shut down for maintenance. The third unit, which had been inactive since late July, resumed operations on September 6, but shut down again due to an oil pump issue on September 9. Production finally resumed on September 15. While the third unit’s capacity is 275 MW, it is currently generating 200-220 MW, being supplied to the national grid.

The first unit, which had been offline for repairs since September 6, resumed production on September 12, generating 60-65 MW of electricity daily for the grid. The increased output is expected to significantly reduce load shedding in eight districts across northern Bangladesh. The second unit, with a capacity of 125 MW, has been offline since November 2020.

As of now, the coal yard at Barapukuria Coal Mine holds a stockpile of 250,000 metric tons. The mine supplies 3,000 to 3,500 metric tons of coal daily, but to run all three units of the plant simultaneously, around 4,800 metric tons of coal would be required each day. However, all three units have never been operated at the same time.

Md. Abu Bakar Siddique, the Chief Engineer of Barapukuria Power Plant, confirmed that after importing and installing a new oil pump from China, production from the 275 MW third unit resumed on September 15, producing 200-220 MW for the national grid. Additionally, following repairs, the 125 MW first unit restarted production on September 12, adding 60-65 MW to the grid daily. Combined, both units are currently supplying 285 MW to the national grid, which is expected to significantly ease the load-shedding crisis in the northern region.

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