Currently, eleven solar plants generate a combined 536 megawatts of electricity, according to the national renewable energy database. With the addition of the Sirajganj plant, the total renewable energy production will exceed 600 megawatts, sources indicated.

The solar park, constructed in the Soydabad area near the Bangabandhu Bridge, cost Tk 880 crore. The project was financed by Bangladesh and China Renewable Energy Company Ltd (BCRECL) and North-West Power Generation Company Ltd (NWPGCL), with construction commencing on January 9, 2023.

NWPGCL and China National Machinery Import and Export Corporation (CMC) began implementing the project following power purchase and implementation agreements, said Tanvir Rahman, the project director of the Sirajganj solar park. A total of 156,000 solar panels have been installed to produce 68MW of power.

“The construction work of the plant has been completed. We are now working on commissioning the plant,” Tanvir stated. He added that line commissioning and other preparations for commercial operation have been successfully completed, expressing hope that the commercial operation will start on June 30.

“We will supply power to the national grid at a cost of Tk 11.20 per unit,” Tanvir mentioned.

Khandakar Mokammel Hossain, a member of the Bangladesh Power Development Board, emphasized the government’s commitment to increasing solar power generation. “We currently receive only 536 megawatts from renewable energy sources, but we aim to significantly boost this sector. The government is therefore supporting solar plants,” he explained.