DHAKA, Oct 25, 2026 (BSS) – The Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) is set to invite tenders for construction of a 442-megawatt (MW) Rampal solar power plant, as part of the government’s drive to expand renewable energy generation, an official said.

“We are working on preparing the tender documents for the Rampal solar project, as the grid-connected project has been approved by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC),” BPDB Chairman Engineer Rezaul Karim told BSS here today.

He said that construction work of the Rampal solar project will begin next year and expected to bring the solar power plant into operations by June 2029, making it a major renewable energy project alongside the existing 1,320-MW coal-fired power plant at Rampal.

The BPDB chairman said that the plant will be constructed on 918.50 acres of land in Block-B of Rampal, which the BPDB has already acquired and developed.

According to PDB, the electricity demand in Khulna division was 1,972 MW on October 1, 2026 while 6,108 MW in Dhaka, 1,427 MW in Chattogram, 1,722 MW in Rajshahi, 1,563 MW in Cumilla, 1,428 MW in Mymensingh, 739 MW in Sylhet, 572 MW in Barishal and 1,056 MW in Rangpur.

It said after installation of Rampal solar project, Khulna division will get 442 MW grid tied green electricity, while actual demand will be 1,530. So, the subsidy will be reduced and dependence on fossil fuel will also be curbed.

According to the project details, the ECNEC has approved the 442-MW solar power plant with eight-hour battery storage on the remaining land originally acquired for the coal-fired power plant in Rampal, Bagerhat.

Under the project, estimated to cost Tk 2,498.08 crore, a 442-megawatt-peak (MWp) solar power plant will be built to increase renewable energy generation, diversify the country’s energy mix and reduce carbon emissions.

The BPDB will implement the project with Tk 374.71 crore from its own funds and Tk 2,123.37 crore from the Power Sector Development Fund (PSDF).

The PSDF financing will carry an interest rate of 2 percent, with a one-year grace period and a repayment period of 16 years.

The project proposal initially estimated the cost of electricity generation at around Tk 6 per unit without battery storage.

According to the BPDB, the proposed plant is expected to offer a competitive tariff of Tk 6.18 per unit, around 30 percent lower than the estimated Tk 8.87 per unit tariff of a proposed 220-MW solar power plant at Sonagazi in Feni.

Project documents showed that the BPDB acquired a total of 1,834 acres of land in Rampal in 2012 for a coal-fired power plant. The land was divided into Block-A, covering 915.50 acres, and Block-B, covering 918.50 acres.

The Bangladesh-India Friendship Power Company (Pvt) Ltd’s 1,320-MW Maitree Super Thermal Power Plant was built on Block-A, while Block-B remains under the BPDB.

The proposed solar plant will be connected to the national grid through a new 230-kilovolt transmission system linked to a nearby substation of the Bangladesh-India Friendship Power Company Ltd (BIFPCL).

The project is expected to add clean electricity to the national grid, reduce carbon emissions and lower the country’s dependence on imported fossil fuels. It is also expected to help ease environmental pressure on the ecologically sensitive Sundarbans, the world’s largest mangrove forest.

Shafiqul Alam, lead energy analyst at the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA), said converting land originally earmarked for a coal-fired power plant into a solar project reflected Bangladesh’s changing energy priorities.

“The project will contribute to Bangladesh’s long-term energy security by reducing its dependence on imported fossil fuels. It is a positive step towards building a cleaner, more sustainable and more resilient power sector,” he said.

The government has also launched a nationwide programme to expand rooftop solar power and develop a network of entrepreneurs and service providers under the National Renewable Energy programme.

Once implemented, the Rampal project will add 442 MW to the national grid. The country’s total on-grid power generation capacity, including captive power and renewable energy, stands at 29,143 MW, of which solar power accounts for 1,642.7 MW.

“The project will increase electricity generation from renewable sources, helping the country achieve its target of generating 20 percent of electricity from renewable energy by 2030,” a Planning Commission official said.

According to the project documents, solar photovoltaic modules and mounting structures will account for the largest share of the project cost, at Tk 1,238.61 crore, or around 50 percent of the total.

Electrical equipment, including inverters, transformers and supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems, will cost Tk 732.25 crore.

A feasibility study conducted by the Infrastructure Investment Facilitation Company (IIFC) found the project acceptable, according to the project summary.

The project was included in the Annual Development Programme (ADP) for fiscal year 2026-27 as an unapproved project under the “green page” category.

It is also aligned with the Five-Year Strategic Framework for Reform and Development and Sustainable Development Goal 7, which aims to ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all.