Rampal Coal-fired Power Plant in Bagerhat often faces coal shortage, technical glitches and mechanical faults, hindering its production seriously.
Due to mechanical fault for the second time, power generation from this plant has remained suspended since June 30 which will continue for four more days, Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) officials confirmed to The Business Post.
The first unit of the 1320 MW power station came into commercial generation in December 2022. After that production was halted three times due to coal shortage and two times due to mechanical failure.
Sayeed Akram Ullah, Managing Director of Bangladesh-India Friendship Power Company Limited (BIFPCL), Rampal Power Plant Operator, told the media that the power plant was shut down on June 30 night due to failure of electrical generator unit protection. “Now repair work is going on and power generation will start again by July 5-6,” he added.
BPDB Member (Generation) SM Wazed Ali Sardar said Rampal power plant will resume production within 3-4 days. “As power demand is low now, it will not put any impact.”
Earlier, production of the first unit of Rampal power plant was halted several times due to other technical faults, including holes in the cooling heater and ruptured boiler tubes.
The second unit of 660 MW Rampal Power Plant is yet to come into commercial generation. It may start generation from September this year.
However, the power plant has faced many problems since the beginning of the first unit generation. Preferring anonymity, a BPDB official said Rampal Power Plant has been facing various technical problems. “It will take time to address the problems.”
Energy expert Prof M Tamim told the reporters recently that the latest technology was used in Payra power plant, but not in Rampal power plant. “That’s why Rampal plant is facing frequent technical faults.”
36,570 tonnes of coal arrive at Payra
Another ship named MV Pavo Brave arrived at Payra seaport in Patuakhali with 36,570 tonnes of coal on Sunday morning.
The vessel arrived at the outer anchorage of the port around Saturday midnight nearly a month after power generation at Payra Thermal Power Plant was halted due to fuel shortage. It later anchored at inner anchorage around 10:30am on Sunday.
Confirming this, Payra Port’s Traffic Department Deputy Director Azizur Rahman said the ship departed from Indonesia’s Balikpapan port about a week ago.
Payra power plant sources said a small amount of coal will be unloaded with lighter vessels first. The ship will be taken to the Payra Thermal Power Plant jetty, where the remaining coal will be discharged.
According to Payra Port Authority, this is the second shipment of coal imported to continue power generation after the shutdown of the 1,320 MW thermal power plant.
Earlier on 22 June, vessel MV Athena reached Payra port with 41,027 tonnes of coal and the power plant resumed production on June 25. Payra Thermal Power Plant has remained shut since June 5 due to coal shortage.
