ECNEC Approves Tk2,498Cr Solar Project at Rampal
Bangladesh’s ECNEC has approved a Tk2,498-crore solar power project at Rampal, Bagerhat, on land originally acquired for a coal-fired plant. The project is designed to add renewable capacity, though its planned panels total 442 MWp and its grid-tied inverters 360 MW.
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In a Nutshell
- The Bangladesh Power Development Board will build the plant on 918.5 acres of unused, already-acquired land, avoiding any new land acquisition.
- The Tk2,498.08-crore project will receive Tk374.71 crore from BPDB and Tk2,123.37 crore from the Power Sector Development Fund. The fund loan carries a 2% interest rate, a one-year grace period, and a 16-year repayment term.
- ECNEC approved the project on October 7. The Planning Commission’s recommended implementation period runs from September 2026 to March 2029.
- Planned solar-panel capacity is 442 MWp, while grid-tied inverter capacity is 360 MW. Electricity is intended for the national grid through nearby transmission infrastructure.
- Separately, LGRD State Minister Mir Shahe Alam has urged faster installation of solar panels at government institutions and announced Tk370 crore for rooftop solar across five types of local government bodies.
Context
Rampal is already home to the 1,320-MW Maitree coal-fired power plant, built on land BPDB acquired in 2012. The new solar project is planned for the remaining Block B site, where land development and boundary-wall work have been completed. Electricity would pass through inverters and connect to the national grid using nearby transmission infrastructure.
The Planning Commission says the project supports the national target of generating 20% of electricity from renewable sources by 2030. Its assessment cited 797 MW of solar capacity within 28,827 MW of on-grid generation capacity at the time of the report.
Why It Matters
The project adds a large grid-connected solar facility without requiring new land acquisition, while making use of infrastructure already near the site. If completed on schedule, it may diversify Bangladesh’s electricity sources and contribute to the 2030 renewable-energy target. The difference between the 442-MW panel capacity and the specified 360-MW inverter capacity also makes clear reporting of expected output important. However, its impact depends on the power actually delivered to the grid, the final cost per unit and how reliably the plant operates.
What We Think
India, Pakistan, Nepal and Myanmar, along with Bangladesh, are also expanding solar power as costs fall and energy security becomes more important. Using land already acquired at Rampal removes one of the main challenges of building renewable-energy projects in Bangladesh. For Bangladesh, a concern remains that it aims to generate 10,000 MW of solar power by 2030, but it currently has only about 1,564 MW of solar capacity.