Production at Dinajpur’s Barapukuria Thermal Power Plant has resumed after a prolonged 48-hour shutdown caused by mechanical faults. The plant recommenced operation today, Friday (April 24).

Last Wednesday (April 22), around 10 PM, Unit 1, with a production capacity of 125 megawatts, shut down. This halted production across all three units of the thermal power plant, leading to power outages in Dinajpur and 8 other northern districts.

Prior to this incident, Unit 2, with a capacity of 125 megawatts, and Unit 3, with a capacity of 275 megawatts, of the same power plant had already been shut down for a long period.

It is noteworthy that the coal-fired Barapukuria Thermal Power Plant was established next to the Barapukuria coal mine in Dinajpur in 2006, utilizing coal produced from the mine. Initially, two units, each with a production capacity of 125 megawatts, totaling 250 megawatts, were installed.

Subsequently, in 2017, another unit with a 275-megawatt production capacity was launched, increasing the plant’s total capacity to 525 megawatts. However, due to mechanical faults and various other complexities, the power plant has never been able to produce electricity at its full 525-megawatt capacity simultaneously.