Merchant Power Policy Topples Protected IPP Era

North West Power Generation Company Ltd (NWPGCL) is set to boost Bangladesh's clean energy capacity by developing two new solar power plants with a combined output of 140 megawatts. The 80MW Padma Solar Power Plant will be located in Shariatpur and Madaripur

n just seven months, Bangladesh’s interim government has slashed foreign dues in the power and energy sector by 75%, from $3.2 billion to $800 million, addressing nearly three years of unpaid bills. A major beneficiary is US-based Chevron, which supplies over 50% of the country’s domestic gas (1,108.6 MMCFD out of 1,873.5 MMCFD).

Bangladesh reduced its overdue payments to private furnace oil-fired power plants by 30%, from Tk 100 billion in January to around Tk 70 billion by April 2025. This was driven by decreased electricity purchases from high sulphur fuel oil (HSFO)-based plants—now only 20% of total generation, down from 50%—and accelerated payments by the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB).

The Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) has set the per-unit electricity cost for the 1,200MW Matarbari Ultra Super Critical Coal-Fired Power Plant at Tk8.45, which is 60.60% lower than Rampal's Tk13.57 per unit. This new tariff is also 42% cheaper than the 1,320MW Payra plant (Tk12/unit) and SS Power. The Power Division has submitted the proposal to the Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase for final approval.

Bangladesh has initiated its first merchant power generation model with a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between H&M, Pran-RFL Group, and IFC to establish a floating solar power plant in Moulvibazar.

The Power Division has requested Bangladesh Bank's intervention to recover Tk 8.50 billion stuck with the financially troubled National Bank Limited (NBL), which has failed to transfer the remaining funds from a total of Tk 13.29 billion deposited by the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) across three accounts in its Motijheel and foreign exchange branches.