Rampal Power Plant operations stable: Authority

Bangla Press Desk: Operations at the Rampal Thermal Power Plant remain stable and normal, according to Bangladesh-India Friendship Power Company Limited (BIFPCL).

In a statement issued on Monday (26 January), BIFPCL Managing Director R. Sarangpani said the plant has continued to function smoothly despite recent changes involving expatriate staff.

He clarified that during December 2025 to January 2026, 17 expatriate officials were transferred in line with the expatriate ratio mandated by the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA).

Following this, a total of 12 executives from India’s NTPC Limited were stationed at the plant solely in advisory roles. None of them were assigned any operational responsibilities. All operational activities, including control room functions, have been and continue to be handled entirely by BIFPCL’s local workforce.

The statement further noted that due to prevailing personal security concerns in Bangladesh, the NTPC advisory personnel returned to India after formally informing NTPC management and obtaining all required approvals. The authority strongly rejected claims that any official left the plant without notifying the relevant authorities, describing such assertions as baseless and incorrect. 

All stakeholders and responsible authorities were duly informed prior to their departure.

BIFPCL also confirmed that the NTPC officials remain engaged in their duties through virtual platforms, including WhatsApp, Microsoft Teams, and video conferencing. They are available round the clock to provide advisory support and are prepared to travel to the plant immediately in case of any operational emergency or unforeseen incident.

According to the authority, both units of the Rampal Power Plant are currently operating at near full capacity in line with national grid demand. The plant’s performance remains stable, with no negative impact observed. Any attempt to suggest otherwise is factually inaccurate, misleading, and likely to create unnecessary public concern, the statement added.

The 1,320-megawatt Rampal Power Plant is a joint venture between Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) and India’s state-owned NTPC Limited. The plant recently supplied 11.5% of Bangladesh’s total electricity generation, amounting to 5,531 million units, marking the second consecutive month of record performance and highlighting its sustained operational efficiency.

BP/SP