BM Desk : Palash, Narsingdi’s Ghorashal Thermal Power Plant is in dire straits. Due to a gas constraint, production has stopped in all seven of the plant’s units. Md. Enamul Haque, the Chief Engineer of the Ghorashal Thermal Power Plant, informed the media this Thursday afternoon.

According to him, there has been a gas shortage at the power plant for the previous two years. However, because of a gas shortage, the power plant’s 360 MW unit 4, 210 MW unit 5, and 360 MW unit 7 have all ceased production since Eid-ul-Azha. Because it supplies gas to Sarkhana, the government has cut off the power plant’s gas supply. We have requested that the relevant ministry provide us with gas as a substitute. Gas supply is the only way to generate electricity at full capacity.

He also mentioned that these three units are prepared to be fully operational. The 360 MW unit 3 of the power plant has been experiencing issues with the turbine’s rotor blades for several days. Consequently, electricity generation has been halted for an extended period. Nevertheless, it is currently under repair and is in the final stages. It will resume production once the gas connection is established.

As per power plant sources, a fire occurred in June 2010 in unit number 6, which has a capacity of 210 MW, resulting in the turbine being destroyed. Since that incident, this unit has entirely ceased electricity generation. Conversely, unit number 1 of the Ghorashal Thermal Power Plant, completed by Russia’s Technoprom Expert in 1967, began its operation by generating only 55 MW of electricity in January 1974. Subsequently, unit number 2, also with a capacity of 55 MW, commenced production in February 1976. Due to ongoing mechanical issues in these two units, the power authorities have halted operations in both for many years.

According to sources, there are intentions to dismantle units number 1 and 2 and establish new units.