The much talked about Rampal coal-fired power plant, constructed by India’s Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL), may be inaugurated during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to Delhi.
The premier is expected to visit the Indian capital in September.
“The inauguration of the power plant is on the wish-list,” Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen said when asked about the inauguration of the 1,320-megawatt power plant having two 660MW units.
The power plant, established 14 kilometres away from the Sundarbans, is being implemented by Bangladesh-India Friendship Power Company Ltd (BIFPCL).
One unit of the plant is nearly ready.
Previously the Power Division planned to start the trial run in September and start commercial production in October.
The Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) and India’s NTPC signed a deal to implement the TK 160 billion Rampal Power Plant Project in 2010 followed by a string of protests from green activists, who feared that the project would cause severe damage to the ecology of the Sundarbans.
