The Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) is set to invite tenders for the construction of a 442-megawatt (MW) solar power plant in Rampal as part of the government's drive to expand renewable energy generation, an official said.
"We are preparing the tender documents for the Rampal solar project, as the grid-connected project has been approved by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC)," BPDB Chairman Engineer Rezaul Karim told BSS today (25 October).
He said construction of the Rampal solar project would begin next year, with the plant expected to become operational by June 2029. The project will be a major renewable energy facility alongside the existing 1,320MW coal-fired power plant in Rampal.
The BPDB chairman said the plant would be built on 918.50 acres of land in Block-B of Rampal, which the BPDB has already acquired and developed.
According to the BPDB, electricity demand in the Khulna division stood at 1,972MW on 1 October 2026, compared with 6,108MW in Dhaka, 1,427MW in Chattogram, 1,722MW in Rajshahi, 1,563MW in Cumilla, 1,428MW in Mymensingh, 739MW in Sylhet, 572MW in Barishal and 1,056MW in Rangpur.
The BPDB said the Rampal solar project would supply an additional 442MW of grid-connected green electricity to the Khulna division. It added that the division's projected electricity demand would be 1,530MW, reducing the need for subsidies and dependence on fossil fuels.
According to the project details, ECNEC has approved the construction of the 442MW solar power plant, featuring eight-hour battery storage, on the remaining land originally acquired for the coal-fired power plant in Rampal, Bagerhat.
The project, estimated to cost Tk2,498.08 crore, will include a 442-megawatt-peak (MWp) solar power plant aimed at increasing renewable energy generation, diversifying the country's energy mix and reducing carbon emissions.
The BPDB will implement the project with Tk374.71 crore from its own funds and Tk2,123.37 crore from the Power Sector Development Fund (PSDF).
The PSDF financing will carry an interest rate of 2%, with a one-year grace period and a repayment period of 16 years.
The project proposal initially estimated the cost of electricity generation at around Tk 6 per unit without battery storage.
According to the BPDB, the proposed plant is expected to offer a competitive tariff of Tk6.18 per unit, around 30% lower than the estimated Tk8.87 per unit tariff for a proposed 220MW solar power plant in Sonagazi, Feni.
Project documents show that the BPDB acquired 1,834 acres of land in Rampal in 2012 for a coal-fired power plant. The land was divided into Block-A, covering 915.50 acres, and Block-B, covering 918.50 acres.
The Bangladesh-India Friendship Power Company (Pvt) Ltd's 1,320MW Maitree Super Thermal Power Plant was built on Block-A, while Block-B remains under the BPDB's ownership.
The proposed solar plant will be connected to the national grid through a new 230-kilovolt transmission system linked to a nearby substation of the Bangladesh-India Friendship Power Company Ltd (BIFPCL).
The project is expected to add clean electricity to the national grid, reduce carbon emissions and lower the country's dependence on imported fossil fuels. It is also expected to help ease environmental pressure on the ecologically sensitive Sundarbans, the world's largest mangrove forest.
Shafiqul Alam, lead energy analyst at the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA), said converting land originally earmarked for a coal-fired power plant into a solar project reflected Bangladesh's changing energy priorities.
"The project will contribute to Bangladesh's long-term energy security by reducing its dependence on imported fossil fuels. It is a positive step towards building a cleaner, more sustainable and more resilient power sector," he said.
The government has also launched a nationwide programme to expand rooftop solar power and develop a network of entrepreneurs and service providers under the National Renewable Energy Programme.
Once implemented, the Rampal project will add 442MW to the national grid. The country's total on-grid power generation capacity, including captive power and renewable energy, stands at 29,143MW, of which solar power accounts for 1,642.7MW.
"The project will increase electricity generation from renewable sources, helping the country achieve its target of generating 20% of its electricity from renewable energy by 2030," a Planning Commission official said.
According to the project documents, solar photovoltaic modules and mounting structures will account for the largest share of the project cost, at Tk1,238.61 crore, or around 50% of the total.
Electrical equipment, including inverters, transformers, and supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems, will cost Tk732.25 crore.
A feasibility study conducted by the Infrastructure Investment Facilitation Company (IIFC) found the project acceptable, according to the project summary.
The project was included in the Annual Development Programme (ADP) for fiscal year 2026-27 as an unapproved project under the "green page" category.
It is also aligned with the Five-Year Strategic Framework for Reform and Development and Sustainable Development Goal 7, which aims to ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all.