Kaptai Hydro Plant sees surge in power generation

Power generation at Bangladesh’s Karnaphuli Hydroelectric Power Station has increased to 179 megawatts after sustained rainfall and runoff from upstream hills raised the water level in Kaptai Lake, easing pressure on the country’s only hydroelectric facility.

Mahmud Hasan, manager of the Kaptai Hydroelectric Power Station, said on Friday that all five generating units are now contributing to the increased output.

According to the plant, Unit 1 and Unit 2 are each producing 42 megawatts, while Unit 3 is generating 35 megawatts. Units 4 and 5 are each supplying 30 megawatts, bringing the station’s total generation to 179 megawatts.

The improvement follows several months of restricted operations caused by low water levels in Kaptai Lake. During the dry period, the station was unable to run all five units at the same time, despite remaining operational. As a result, electricity production fell to around 96 megawatts, well below the plant’s installed capacity of 230 megawatts.

Plant officials said, “the recent spell of rain, together with water flowing from surrounding hill catchments, has steadily replenished the reservoir, allowing electricity generation to recover.”

Control room officials said, “the current water level in Kaptai Lake stands at 85.44 feet above Mean Sea Level (MSL).”

“Under the operational rule curve, the preferred level for this time of year is 90.31 feet MSL. The reservoir has a maximum storage capacity of 109 feet MSL,” he added.

Although water levels remain below the seasonal target, officials expect electricity generation to increase further if rainfall continues over the coming days.

Commissioned in 1960, the Karnaphuli Hydroelectric Power Station is Bangladesh’s only hydroelectric power plant.

Its electricity production depends entirely on the volume of water stored in Kaptai Lake. When reservoir levels are sufficient, all five generating units can operate simultaneously, producing between 230 and 242 megawatts of electricity.

The recent rise in generation is expected to provide additional renewable electricity to the national grid at a time when seasonal rainfall is helping replenish water resources across the region.