Barapukuria Power Plant Shuts Down Again
Photo: Agamir Somoy
The electricity production at the Barapukuria coal-fired thermal power plant in Dinajpur has shut down once again after being operational for only two days.
Earlier, the 125 MW capacity Unit 1 was restarted on Friday (May 1) at 4:22 AM following six days of closure for repairs.
Abu Bakkar Siddique, the chief engineer of the Barapukuria thermal power plant, said, the Unit 1 was shut down due to a burst in a boiler tube. Regarding the frequent tube bursts, he explained that Unit 1 underwent full repairs in 2018 and has not had a comprehensive overhaul since. Current repairs are only temporary, involving the replacement of damaged tubes with others. He noted that the boiler contains numerous old tubes that could burst at any moment and emphasized the need for a radical renovation.
He expressed optimism regarding Unit 3, which is currently undergoing long-term sustainable repairs. He expects this unit to return to full production within the next 15 days and remain operational for the next 2 to 4 years.
The Barapukuria thermal power plant was constructed to ensure the optimal use of coal extracted from the Barapukuria coal mine in Parbatipur. The 525 MW capacity plant began its journey in 2006. Initially starting with two 125 MW units, a third 275 MW unit was added in 2017, bringing the total capacity to 525 MW. However, due to various mechanical complications, the plant has never been able to produce at its maximum capacity simultaneously.