Covid defers Rampal Power for 6 months

Novel Coronavirus outbreak across the globe may defer country’s Rampal power project for six months as most of the Indian engineers could not return to work, a top official said. 

“The progress of the Rampal power plant is sluggish due to coronavirus. It may be delayed implementation of the 1,320MW power project,” Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) Chairman Engineer Md Belayet Hossain said. 

He added the visa restriction over Covid-19 delayed return of the foreign experts earlier. 

“But some of the experts have started returning the project site as the government has relaxed the restrictions,” Belayet said. 

Despite that the unit-1 of the 1320MW Rampal will come into operation by June, 2021 and unit-2 by December, 2021, he disclosed to the daily sun.  

Earlier deadline of the unit-1 was February, 2021 and for unit-2 it was August. 
   
In the last review meeting on coal projects, the Power Division has requested the National Thermal Power Company Ltd, India to take necessary steps for returning the Indian experts.

Bangladesh-India Friendship Power Plant Company Limited Managing Director Naresh Anand said the project has almost remained stopped due to shortfall of Indian experts. 

The Bangladesh-India Friendship Power Plant Company Ltd has taken necessary steps to bring back workers, sources said. 

Naresh requested for extending the VISA of Indian experts which have already expired.  

Al least 1,000 local workers of Bangladesh-India joint venture power plant project at Rampal upazila of Bagerhat district have left their workplace in fear of contacting coronavirus earlier.

Then, Naresh Anand informed the Power Division authorities of the matter.

The 1320MW coal-fired power plant project is being implemented near Sundarbans, the largest mangrove forest in the world.

Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) and Indian National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) are jointly implementing the project.

According to the BIFPCL sources, a total of 49 Indian nationals in BHEL and 2,200 Indian nationals from sub-agencies are also engaged at the site.

Besides, a total of 40 employees from NTPC are currently on deputation to BIFPCL, the official sources said.

The power plant’s Required Commercial Operation Date(RCOD) is February, 2021.