The Barapukuria coal-fired power plant at Parbatipur upazila in Dinajpur has suspended operations once again, just two days after resuming power generation.
Around 11:00am on Monday, mechanical issues forced a halt, raising serious concerns about power shortages in the northern region.
The plant, managed by Chinese contractor Harbin International, has been grappling with ongoing technical problems. Allegations suggest the contractor is not fulfilling its contractual obligations, particularly regarding repairs and spare parts. Currently, two of the plant's three units are out of commission due to similar mechanical faults, with the third unit recently experiencing fresh issues.
Unit 3, which had been restored on September 7 and was producing 190-200 megawatts, shut down completely by Monday (September 9). The plant, which needs around 5,200 metric tons of coal daily, currently operates with temporary parts and faces severe coal shortages. Meanwhile, Unit 2 has been offline since November 2020, and Unit 1 is also down for repairs.
The shutdowns have led to increased load shedding and significant disruptions across eight northern districts. The plant's chief engineer Mohammad Abu Bakkar Siddique noted that new machinery from China is needed to resume full operations, and discussions with involved parties are ongoing.
