BHEL asked to conduct 'reliability test run' of Rampal Unit-1 by Oct

The Bangladesh-India Friendship Power Company (Pvt) Ltd (BIPCL) authority has asked the BHEL, the contractor of the plant, to complete the 'reliability test run' of its first unit by October.
"The unit-1 has successfully completed test run on August 15 through adding 92.4 MW to the national grid, in September 24 we could be able to produce 150 MW from here, however, we have ask the BHEL to maintain their work schedule thus we could be able to go for commercial operation," Managing Director of BIPCL Engr Sayeed Akram Ullah told the Daily Observer on Saturday.
BIPCL has also sent a summary paper to the Prime Minister Office (PMO), to apprise them the progress of the power plant. In the letter, the authority mentioned that "due to spare problem, the machine cannot work properly." However, the MD of the plant told the Observer that they procured the spares from India and now it is at the port.
Spread over 1,834 acres of land, the power plant is situated 14 kilometres north of the Bangladesh part of the Sundarban, however, the project began in 2010 with acquisition of land and the construction started in 2012, engaging a workforce of 6,250 people including 1,625 experts presently     deployed at the site to put final touches to the unit-1 of the power plant that faced delays to commission several times.
BIPCL have already completed financial progress by 78 per cent and physical progress of 98 per cent of the first unit. We expect to begin electricity generation from unit-1 of the Rampal Power Plant in October and unit two by February of 2023.
The 230 KV back-feed power line is yet to be commissioned, we hope that it will be completed by this month, Engr Akram said.
Although the Power Grid Company of Bangladesh (PGCB) has claimed that their system is ready to evacuate electricity from the 1st unit of the Rampal Power Plant to Khulna, sources at the Bangladesh Power Development Board said Khulna does not need extra 660 MW electricity as Payra Power Plant is already supplying power there. And if the government plans to take this power from Rampal plant they have to stop the Payra Power Plant.
BIFPCL is constructing the 1,320 MW Rampal plant, a joint venture of India's NTPC Ltd and the Bangladesh Power Development Board, at a cost of US$2 billion under Indian Letter of Credit (LoC) engaging BHEL as the EPC contractor. About $1,205 million has been disbursed to BHEL against the EPC contract, Power Division official said.