Power generation resumes at Barapukuria Unit-3

The 275MW Unit-3 of the Barapukuria Thermal Power Plant in Parbatipur, Dinajpur, resumed electricity generation on Wednesday after remaining shut for about seven months.

Plant authorities said the unit was restarted at 5:46pm on 20 May and shortly afterwards began supplying electricity to the national grid.

Chief Engineer Md Abu Bakkar Siddik told reporters around 6:00pm that the unit was initially generating 20MW of electricity and that production would gradually be increased.

He said Unit-3 had remained shut since October 2025 for general maintenance and overhauling.

Currently, Units 1 and 3 are in operation, producing a combined 70MW of electricity. Of the total, Unit-1 is generating 50MW while Unit-3 is supplying 20MW. Authorities expect total generation from the two units to rise to around 300MW by Thursday.

The Barapukuria Thermal Power Plant has a total generation capacity of 525MW through its three units. Units 1 and 2 each have a generation capacity of 125MW, while Unit-3 has a capacity of 275MW.

However, Unit-2 has remained non-operational since November 2020 due to mechanical failure. More than four and a half years later, the unit has yet to be repaired.

Allegations have been raised over negligence and failure by the plant authorities, the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB), and the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources to take effective measures for restoring the unit.

Read More

Bangladesh sets new record in power generation

Regarding the issue, Chief Engineer Abu Bakkar Siddik said approximately Tk200 crore would be required to repair and reactivate Unit-2 in its current condition.

“With this amount of money, a new unit could be installed,” he added.

Meanwhile, questions have also been raised regarding maintenance practices at the power plant, which is operated by Harbin International using coal supplied from the Barapukuria coal mine.

According to sources, the contractor was responsible for carrying out routine repairs and supplying necessary spare parts under the agreement, but those obligations were not properly fulfilled. As a result, temporary and patchwork repairs allegedly led to recurring technical faults.

Sources further said each unit requires two electro-hydraulic oil pumps for operation. Since 2022, one of the two pumps of Unit-3 has remained out of order.

The unit had reportedly been operating with only one functioning pump, increasing operational risks and causing frequent shutdowns.