After a two-day shutdown, power generation has resumed at the first unit (125 Mega Watt) of Barapukuria coal-based thermal power plant here in the Parbatipur upazila.

Chief Engineer Md. Abu Bakkar Siddique confirmed the development to BSS at around 8:30 pm today, saying the unit has been restarted on a trial basis.

He said the first unit began supplying 55 to 60 MW of electricity to the national grid from 8 pm, requiring around 700 metric tonnes of coal daily.

According to sources, power generation from the unit was halted at 10 pm on April 22 due to the presence of stones mixed with coal.

With the resumption of operation of the unit, the probability of power disruptions and load shedding in Parbatipur upazila and eight northern districts is expected to drop significantly.

The 525 MW Barapukuria coal-based power plant was established based on coal supplied from the Barapukuria coal mine.

Meanwhile, the plant's second unit, also with a capacity of 125 MW, has remained shut since November 2020. Despite its capacity, it previously generated around 60 to 65 MW of electricity.

The chief engineer expressed hope that the reopening of the first unit would significantly ease load shedding in the region.