- Bangladesh has approved plans to develop 100 MW solar power plant in Jamalpur
- It will be funded with a line of credit from India’s EXIM Bank for 1% interest rate
- On completion in 2023, the project to be built on non-agricultural land near Jamuna river will be grid connected
The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council in Bangladesh has approved the proposal of a 100 MW solar power plant to be set up in the country. This would be the ‘biggest’ PV project for the nation. It will be located in Madarganj Upazila of Jamalpur.
Local media reports claim total project cost of the 100 MW facility is expected to be BDT 1,511.79 million ($17.82 million) out of which BDT 1,115.62 million ($13.15 million) will come as a line of credit from the EXIM Bank of India for 1% interest rate. However, these numbers are way too low. Project completion is anticipated as 2023.
It will be built on non-agricultural land on a char or river island of Jamuna river. Bangladesh’s Rural Power Company plans to develop the project which was proposed to be named after the country’s incumbent Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The Prime Minister instead wants it to be named as Solar Park Madarganj or Solar Park Jamalpur.
On completion, the 100 MW facility will be connected to the grid and contribute to the national target of expanding the country’s renewable energy capacity in the total energy mix to 10% by 2025, under Bangladesh’s 8th Five-Year Plan.
In May 2021, Japan’s Marubeni Corporation said it will build 100 MW Feni Solar Project in Bangladesh with Electricity Generation Company of Bangladesh (see Marubeni To Build 100 MW Solar Project In Bangladesh).
