Up to 1,210MW Power Expected on Grid This Week
State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Aninda Islam Amit told Parliament that Bangladesh expects to add up to 1,210MW of electricity to the national grid this week. The expected supply includes a Rampal unit and five plants operating after their contracts expired.
In a Nutshell
- State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Aninda Islam Amit told Parliament that up to 1,210MW of electricity could be added to the national grid this week.
- One 660 MW unit of the coal-fired Rampal Power Plant is expected to restart generation.
- Five other power plants with expired contracts are expected to add around 550 MW.
- The government says the five plants will operate without capacity charges and receive payment for the electricity they generate.
- The government has not publicly named the five power plants or released their revised contracts, tariffs or fuel details.
- The expected addition is part of an effort to reduce load-shedding during the current power and gas crisis.
Context
Bangladesh is facing power shortages because gas supply is tight and several major plants are not generating at full capacity. The government is trying to restore electricity from existing plants rather than waiting for new projects. The planned 1,210MW combines 660MW from Rampal and about 550MW from five plants whose contracts have expired. The government has not publicly identified those five plants or released their new payment agreements. The figure is therefore an expected supply target, not electricity that has already reached consumers.
Why It Matters
More electricity could bring quick relief for homes, shops, factories, hospitals and farms. Power cuts disrupt daily life, reduce factory output, and push businesses to rely on costly generators. Rampal is important because one unit can add 660MW at once. The five other plants may help meet demand, especially in the evening when power use is high.
The government says it will not pay capacity charges to these plants. This means payment will be linked to the electricity they produce, rather than simply keeping the plants ready. This may reduce some of BPDB's fixed costs. But the electricity may still be costly because fuel prices remain high. The total cost will depend on the fuel used, the hours the plants run and the tariff BPDB pays for each unit of electricity. The government has not released these details.
What We Think
The public needs clear information on the five plants, including their owners, fuel type, tariff and the full meaning of the no-capacity-charge arrangement.
The plan may offer quick support, but it mainly relies on existing fuel-based plants and does not address the broader gas and power shortages.
Even major and carefully planned projects can face technical problems. Rooppur Unit 1, the first 1,200MW reactor at Bangladesh’s Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, was expected to supply an initial 300MW to the national grid by late August or September.
But a valve malfunction identified during commissioning tests and disclosed by Science and Technology Minister Faqir Mahbub Anam on 3 September 2026 has delayed Rooppur Unit 1’s first nuclear electricity. The delay shows the difference between announced power capacity and electricity that is actually available to consumers.