Barapukuria unit-1 resumes power generation after critical boiler fix

Electricity generation has resumed at Unit-1 of the Barapukuria Coal-Fired Thermal Power Plant in Dinajpur, ending a four-day production halt caused by a critical boiler tube failure.

The plant began supplying electricity to the national grid at 11:30 pm on Wednesday, just minutes after the unit was successfully restarted at 11:03 pm, confirmed Md Abu Bakar Siddique, the plant’s chief engineer.

The resumption comes as a relief for the facility in Parbatipur upazila, which had been completely offline since January 18. The 125-megawatt Unit-1 had been forced to shut down at 11:15 am that day, leaving all three of the plant’s generation units inactive.

According to engineering officials, the reactivated unit is currently generating between 70 and 75 megawatts of electricity, consuming approximately 700 to 800 metric tonnes of coal daily. Output is expected to increase gradually as the system stabilises.

A Struggle for Capacity

The incident highlights the ongoing operational challenges at Bangladesh’s first coal-based power station. The facility operates three units—two with a capacity of 125 megawatts each and a third, larger unit capable of producing 275 megawatts. However, the plant has struggled to run at full capacity for years.

The plant’s second unit (125 MW) has been offline since November 17, 2020, due to persistent mechanical faults. Meanwhile, the largest generator, Unit-3 (275 MW), has been out of commission since October 16 of last year.

Chief Engineer Siddique noted that extensive repair work is currently underway on the third unit. If the maintenance schedule holds, officials expect the 275 MW unit to rejoin the grid by early March, which would significantly boost the plant’s contribution to the national power supply.