Experimental production of 1320MW power plant in Patuakhali begins

Power generation has begun on an experimental basis at the Norinco Rural Power Company Limited (NRPCL) 1320 MW thermal power plant in Patuakhali.

The first unit with a capacity of 660 MW started operations at 12:10am on Saturday (January 18). It is initially supplying 110 MW of electricity to the national grid, said Supervising Engineer of the power plant Md Ashraf Uddin on Sunday (January 19).

He said the full capacity of the first unit will be gradually connected to the grid. Efforts are being made to expedite the commissioning of the second unit with a capacity of 660 MW by March next.

Managing Director of the power plant Selim Bhuiyan said it is expected that the country's electricity situation will improve significantly once power generation starts in full capacity.

The NRPCL project is a joint venture between Chinese company Norinco International and state-owned Rural Power Company Limited, which is being implemented on 950 acres of land at a cost of Tk 27,000 crore. Its construction began in August 2019.

Despite the challenges, the effective start-up of the power plant has been met with enthusiasm by officials and staff, who consider the project a milestone in the country's power sector.