The Rampal coal-fired thermal power plant in Bagerhat has set a new production record, generating a record 1,321 megawatts (MW) of electricity from its two units combined for the first time. The generated power is being directly fed into the national grid.

Anwarul Azim, Chief Human Resources Officer of the Rampal Power Plant, confirmed the milestone on Saturday evening (October 3).

He stated that around 4:30 PM on Saturday, the first unit was generating 656 MW while the second unit was producing 665 MW, with all of this electricity being supplied to the national grid.

Power generation in the plant's second unit had recently been suspended due to mechanical issues. Following successful repairs, uninterrupted electricity generation has resumed, and overall output has increased according to plant authorities.

According to plant data, the joint-venture initiative between Bangladesh and India was undertaken in 2010. An agreement was signed on January 29, 2012, between the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) and India's National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC). Under this agreement, the Bangladesh-India Friendship Power Company Limited (BIFPCL) was formed.

For the project, 1,034 acres of land were acquired in the Sapmari-Koidargaskathi mouza under Rajnagar and Gourambha unions of Rampal upazila in Bagerhat. Construction of the 1,320 MW Maitree Super Thermal Power Project began at a cost of approximately 16 billion taka.

Following an extended construction period, the 660 MW first unit of the plant went into commercial production on December 23, 2022. Trial production of the second unit began on October 24 of the following year.

While the total combined capacity of the plant's two units is 1,320 MW, normal simultaneous operation typically yields between 1,100 MW and 1,200 MW.