Rampal Set to Host Country’s Largest Solar Plant

The Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) has taken an initiative to build a 442-megawatt solar power plant in Rampal, Bagerhat, which would be the largest solar project in the country.

The proposed project is aimed at strengthening Bangladesh’s energy security by diversifying primary fuel sources and expanding renewable power generation.

According to the project proposal, the estimated cost of the plant is Tk2,502.39 crore. Of that amount, Tk2,127 crore is expected to come from the Power Development Fund, while Tk375.94 crore will be financed from BPDB’s own resources.

The project is scheduled for completion by December 2030, and the proposed tariff for electricity generated from the plant has been set at Tk6.18 per unit.

The proposal has already been sent to the Planning Commission for approval.

BPDB acquired 1,834 acres of land in Rampal in 2012, divided into Block-A and Block-B. Block-A currently houses the coal-fired power plant operated by Bangladesh-India Friendship Power Company Limited, while Block-B remains under BPDB and has already undergone land development and preparatory work.

Although the project was initially planned as a joint venture, the process was later halted following the repeal of the Special Power Act 2010, amended in 2021.

A feasibility study conducted by the Infrastructure Investment Facilitation Company in May 2025 later recommended setting up a 442MW grid-connected solar power plant on a 685-acre site in Rampal.

The study found that only limited additional land development would be required, helping lower construction costs and reduce the cost of electricity generation. It also recommended implementing the project through international competitive bidding to ensure better pricing.

For comparison, a 220MW solar power plant in Sonagazi, Feni, approved in December, is expected to cost Tk1,888 crore and will be implemented by the Electricity Generation Company of Bangladesh Limited.

BPDB analysis shows that although the Sonagazi plant is expected to have a higher capacity utilisation factor of 21%, compared to 17% for Rampal, its overall construction and transmission costs are significantly higher.

The construction cost per megawatt is estimated at Tk5.66 crore for Rampal, compared to Tk6.27 crore for Sonagazi. Infrastructure costs in Sonagazi are also more than double those of Rampal, along with higher spending on design, engineering and transmission lines.

As a result, electricity from the Rampal plant is projected to cost Tk6.18 per unit, while the Sonagazi project’s tariff stands at Tk8.87 per unit, around 43% higher.

Bangladesh’s electricity demand is rising steadily due to economic growth, industrialisation, export-oriented industries, ICT expansion and improving living standards.

Under the Integrated Energy and Power Master Plan 2023, the country’s peak electricity demand is projected to reach 29,257MW by 2030, 58,597MW by 2041, and 96,767MW by 2050. In contrast, the highest electricity generation recorded so far stands at 16,794MW, as of 23 July 2025.

Although electricity access has reached almost the entire population, ensuring adequate generation capacity and long-term energy security remains a major challenge.

To meet commitments under the Paris Climate Agreement and reduce dependence on fossil fuels, the government has adopted the Renewable Energy Policy 2025, targeting 20% renewable energy by 2030 and 30% by 2040.

Officials say the proposed Rampal project could become a major step forward in expanding Bangladesh’s renewable energy capacity at a comparatively lower cost.