Chinese venture commissions 68 MW solar plant in BD

Bangladesh-China Renewable Energy Company (BCRECL), a joint venture between Bangladeshs Northwest Power Generation Company Ltd. and China National Machinery Import and Export Corp., has switched on a 68 MW solar plant in Sirajganj district, central Bangladesh.
"The plant is running in full load today (Monday) and we have started supplying electricity to the grid," Tanvir Rahman, project director of Sirajganj solar park told pv magazine.
Construction of the $87.71 million solar power plant, located on the banks of the Jamuna River, began in January 2023. The Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) will buy electricity from the facility at $0.102/kWh.
Khurshedul Alam, Managing Director at BCRECL, said the plant has been built at a "very challenging" location. The poles are set up on a river bank, and there is a gap between water and solar panels.
"We have designed the plant in such a way, after calculating flood data of the last 100 years," said Alam.
BCRECL is implementing another solar power plant in Pabna district and a wind power plant in Patuakhali district, aiming to generate 500 MW of electricity from renewables.
Currently, Bangladesh can generate 1,373 MW of electricity from renewable sources, with 1,080 MW coming from solar.     —pv magazine