After a prolonged seven-day shutdown, the Barapukuria Thermal Power Plant in Dinajpur has partially resumed electricity generation. The plant's 125-megawatt Unit No. 1 was started last Sunday at 2:00 PM. This has brought a glimmer of hope to the power station, which had come to a complete standstill.
Unit No. 1's production was halted due to a mechanical fault on the night of October 19. Prior to that, electricity generation from Unit 3 had been shut down since October 16.
Unit No. 2 has been virtually inoperative since 2020. Consequently, with the shutdown of Unit No. 1 on October 19, this crucial power plant came to a complete halt.
The plant's Chief Engineer, Abu Bakkar Siddique, has confirmed that the 125-megawatt Unit No. 1 is now operational and generating electricity.
Meanwhile, the total production capacity of the plant's three units is 525 megawatts on paper (Units 1 and 2 are 125 MW each, totaling 250 MW, and Unit 3 is 275 MW). However, reports indicate that this power plant has never been able to generate electricity at its full capacity. Instead of 125 MW, Units 1 and 2 have produced 60-70 MW, and instead of 275 MW, Unit 3 has produced 160 to 175 MW. In other words, for many years, this power plant, a supplier of electricity to the national grid, has been 'ailing,' producing significantly less than its declared capacity.
The Chief Engineer stated that discussions are ongoing with the Chinese manufacturer company to restart the other units. Preparations are underway to restart the currently idle 275-megawatt Unit No. 3, but several problems still remain. He mentioned that maximum efforts are being made to resolve the issues with this unit, but it might take up to three months to get it operational.
Barapukuria's role in the power supply system is extremely important. The persistent mechanical faults and the significantly lower-than-capacity production at such a crucial plant have raised serious questions about its management standards and overall operational efficiency. The people of Dinajpur are now waiting to see when this plant will be able to return to its full capacity.
