The government is moving ahead with plans to build a 442-megawatt solar power plant in Rampal, Bagerhat, in a major push to expand renewable energy generation, diversify the country’s energy sources and reduce carbon emissions.
The proposed ‘Rampal 442MW Solar Power Plant Construction Project’ is scheduled to be placed before the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) for approval at its meeting on Wednesday. The meeting is expected to be chaired by ECNEC Chairman and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.
The project has an estimated cost of Tk 2,498.08 crore. The Power Division has submitted the proposal, with the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) designated as the implementing agency.
Of the total cost, Tk 374.71 crore will come from BPDB’s own funds, while Tk 2,123.37 crore will be financed through the Power Sector Development Fund.
Md Zahurul Islam, BPDB member for generation, said the proposed plant would have a solar panel capacity of 442MW. Electricity generated by the photovoltaic panels will be converted into alternating current through inverters before being supplied to the national grid.
He said the project would add new generation capacity from renewable sources and help expand the use of cleaner energy in Bangladesh’s power sector.
Existing land to reduce project costs
The solar power plant is proposed to be built on 918.50 acres of land in Rampal’s Block-B. The land has already been acquired by BPDB, meaning no additional land acquisition will be necessary.
The Planning Commission believes the use of BPDB-owned land will help reduce project costs and make implementation more straightforward.
BPDB acquired a total of 1,834 acres in Rampal in 2012 for the development of a coal-fired power facility. The land was divided into two blocks: Block-A, covering 915.50 acres, and Block-B, covering 918.50 acres.
The Maitree Super Thermal Power Plant, operated by Bangladesh-India Friendship Power Company (Pvt) Ltd, was subsequently built in Block-A, while Block-B remained under BPDB’s control.
Project documents state that land development and construction of the boundary wall in Block-B have already been completed.
The proposed solar plant will also benefit from existing transmission infrastructure. Power generated at the facility will be transmitted to the national grid through the existing transmission line serving the nearby Rampal coal-fired power plant.
According to the project summary, using the existing transmission system should allow the solar project to be implemented more quickly and at comparatively lower cost.
Major spending on photovoltaic equipment
The proposed plant will use solar photovoltaic modules with a minimum capacity of 640 watt-peak. The project will also include grid-tied inverters with a combined capacity of 360MW, a pooling substation and a three-kilometre double-circuit 230kV transmission line.
Three 230kV bays, including one spare bay, will also be installed.
The largest share of the project budget—Tk 1,238.61 crore, or around 50 per cent of the total cost—has been earmarked for purchasing solar photovoltaic modules and mounting structures.
A further Tk 732.25 crore will be spent on electrical equipment, including inverters, transformers and the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system.
The Planning Commission has assessed the project as financially and economically viable.
2 per cent interest loan proposed
A senior Planning Commission official said financing from the Power Sector Development Fund would carry an annual interest rate of 2 per cent. The repayment period would be 16 years, including a one-year grace period.
The Planning Commission has recommended that the project be implemented between September 2026 and March 2029.
The proposal was included in the Annual Development Programme (ADP) for the 2026-27 financial year as an unauthorised ‘green-page’ project.
The commission also said the estimated cost had been reduced by Tk 4.32 crore from the Power Division’s original proposal following recommendations by the Project Evaluation Committee and a subsequent decision to shorten the implementation period.
The Infrastructure Investment Facilitation Company (IIFC) conducted a feasibility assessment of the project and found it acceptable, according to the project summary.
Contribution to renewable energy target
The Planning Commission expects the project to increase renewable energy-based electricity generation and contribute to the country’s target of obtaining 20 per cent of its total energy mix from renewable sources by 2030.
Once completed, the plant will add 442MW of new generation capacity to the national grid. Bangladesh currently has 28,827MW of on-grid electricity generation capacity, of which 797MW comes from solar power.
The addition of the Rampal project would therefore represent a substantial increase in the country’s grid-connected solar generation capacity.
The commission has also highlighted the project’s potential role in strengthening energy security. Diversifying the primary sources used for power generation could reduce reliance on conventional fuels while helping to lower carbon emissions.
The project is also intended to support the wider expansion of renewable energy in Bangladesh, where solar power has emerged as one of the key sources for increasing clean electricity generation.
Employment during construction and operation
The project is expected to generate employment at different stages.
During implementation, 25 people will be employed at the project office, while around 200 temporary workers are expected to work under contractors.
Once the plant becomes operational, 261 people will be required for operation and maintenance. Of them, 51 positions will be permanent, while 203 people will be engaged through outsourcing, according to project documents.
The project is also aligned with the ‘Five-Year Strategic Framework for Reform and Development’ and Sustainable Development Goal 7, which seeks to ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all.
The proposed Rampal plant is thus being positioned as a significant renewable energy investment that can add a sizeable amount of solar generation capacity without requiring fresh land acquisition or an entirely new transmission corridor.
If approved by ECNEC, the project will proceed towards implementation on land already under BPDB’s control, while making use of existing transmission infrastructure. The combination is expected to help contain costs and facilitate the planned addition of 442MW of solar power to the national grid.
