Bangladesh is about to take a big step in solar power. The government will consider a proposal on Wednesday, 7 October, to build a 442MW solar plant in Rampal, Bagerhat. If approved, it will be the largest solar plant in the country.
The proposal will go before the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council, known as Ecnec. The Bangladesh Power Development Board, or BPDB, plans to build the plant, with completion targeted for December 2030.
The project is estimated to cost Tk2,502.39 crore. Of that, Tk2,127 crore will come from the Power Development Fund, and the remaining Tk375.94 crore will come from BPDB’s own resources. The proposed electricity tariff is Tk6.18 per unit.
The land is already there. BPDB acquired 1,834 acres in Rampal in 2012, split into Block A and Block B. Block A hosts the Bangladesh India Friendship Power Company’s coal power plant. Block B, which has 918.50 acres, remains with BPDB. Land development and other preparatory work are already complete.
A feasibility study found that 685 acres of Block B are suitable for the solar plant. The rest is set aside for a green belt, a flood protection embankment and a lake.
The project did not start out this way. It was first planned as a joint venture, but that process stopped after the Special Power Act 2010 was repealed. The Infrastructure Investment Facilitation Company then carried out a feasibility study in May 2025. It recommended a 442MW grid connected solar plant on the 685 acre site, and suggested international competitive bidding to get better prices.
The electricity will be stepped up from 0.8kV to 33kV and then to 230kV. It will connect to the national grid through the 400/230kV substation of the Bangladesh India Friendship Power Company. The project will need a new substation and about 3km of 230kV transmission line.
How it compares with Sonagazi
The numbers look interesting next to the 220MW Sonagazi solar project in Feni, which was approved last December at an estimated cost of Tk1,888 crore.
Rampal’s construction cost is Tk5.66 crore per MWp, against Tk6.27 crore for Sonagazi. The proposed tariff is Tk6.18 per unit for Rampal and Tk8.87 for Sonagazi. Put another way, Sonagazi’s tariff is around 43% higher.
Rampal does have one weaker point. BPDB’s analysis puts its capacity utilisation factor at 17%, compared with 21% for Sonagazi. That means Sonagazi is expected to make better use of its installed capacity. Annual revenue is projected at Tk352.41 crore for Rampal and Tk381.54 crore for Sonagazi.
Nur Ahmed, additional secretary of the Planning Wing of the Power Division, called the project timely and highly positive for the renewable energy sector. He said the plant is nearly twice the size of Sonagazi with a comparatively lower unit cost, which makes it economically more viable. The proposal has already been sent to the Planning Commission as a Development Project Proforma and is being processed on a priority basis.
Why it matters
The project aims to diversify the country’s primary fuel sources and strengthen energy security by increasing renewable power generation.
Demand is also set to grow fast. The Integrated Energy and Power Master Plan 2023 expects peak demand to reach 29,257MW by 2030, 58,597MW by 2041 and 96,767MW by 2050. The highest generation recorded so far is 16,794MW, on 23 July 2025.
The Renewable Energy Policy 2025 targets 20% of electricity from renewable sources by 2030 and 30% by 2040. The project proposal says rapid investment is needed because renewables still contribute only a small share of total generation.
If Ecnec gives the green light on Wednesday, Rampal could become a test of whether larger solar plants can deliver power at a lower price.