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Kaptai 50 MW (BPDB) Solar Power Plant

  • Jun 22
  • 3 min read

Updated: Jun 25

Current Status: Cancelled

The Kaptai Lake solar power plant, also known as the Kaptai Dam solar farm or Kaptai floating solar farm was supposed to be built in Kaptai, Bangladesh. The approximate location of the power plant is ( 22.5018, 92.2118). The plant was initially planned as a solar photovoltaic (PV) facility with a capacity of 50 MW. It had been sponsored by the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) as a State-owned Power Plant (SOPP) for 25 years. The project was located in Kaptai, Rangamati District, in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT). The 777 sq. km lake was created by flooding an area of the CHT, a historically and politically sensitive region. The project aimed to harness solar energy in the picturesque region.  However, the power plant is reported to have been cancelled.


Capacity

The power plant  was planned with a capacity of 50 megawatts (MW).


Context

The floating solar power plant on Kaptai Lake in Bangladesh had been part of an ongoing initiative, beginning with a project proposal submitted to the Asian Development Bank (ADB) by the Power Cell in 2019. The aim was to secure funding for the construction of a 50 MW floating power plant on Kaptai Hydroelectric Project Lake. Following this, a feasibility study was conducted by the Sustainable and Renewable Energy Development Authority (SREDA) to evaluate the viability of implementing the floating solar power plant on Kaptai Lake (DS, 2019). 


However, recent developments indicate a shift in plans. The Asian Development Bank decided not to fund the construction of the floating solar power plant on Kaptai Lake. This decision was communicated in response to concerns raised by the Bangladesh Working Group on External Debt, citing potential social and environmental impacts. The Kaptai Lake project has been removed from ADB's list of potential floating solar power projects. 


Key concerns revolve around the historical context of the Kaptai Dam and its impact on tribal communities, the potential pollution of lake water due to materials from solar panels, and the reliance of local communities on the lake for drinking water. In response to the project's cancellation, ADB is focused on implementing a study to enhance its capacity to invest and implement renewable energy projects in Bangladesh (Rahman, 2021).  


Environment

According to Section 12 of the Bangladesh Environment Protection Act 1995, Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is obligatory for any industry (MOLJPA, 1995). The polluting industries, such as power plants, have to go through an Initial Environmental Examination (IEE) and EIA as directed in the Environmental Conservation Rules 1997 (MOEFCC, 1997). But unfortunately, no Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report was found. According to the environmental conservation rule 2023 the project falls in the “Yellow” indicating it as a slightly harmful project for the environment (MOEFCC 2023).


References


 
 
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