Bangladesh Approves Largest-Ever 220 MW Solar Project

Bangladesh has approved construction of a 220 MW solar power plant in Sonagazi, the largest photovoltaic project in the country to date.

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC), chaired by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, cleared the project on Monday with a budget of Tk 18.88 bn ($154.4 mln). The Islamic Development Bank will provide $143.28 mln in loan financing, while the government and the state-run Electricity Generation Company of Bangladesh (EGCB) will cover the remainder.

EGCB will develop the plant on 634 acres next to its existing 75 MW solar facility, which has been supplying the national grid since March 2024. The new project will use the same transmission infrastructure, reducing construction costs and timelines.

Masud Alam, superintending engineer of EGCB’s Renewable Energy Unit, said construction will begin once loan funds are disbursed. He described the IsDB loan as a mixed facility with a «reasonable» interest rate. He added that project capacity could be expanded to 250 MW, given available land and financing.

The approval comes as Bangladesh seeks to accelerate its energy transition. The country currently has 1,690 MW of renewable capacity, including 1,297 MW of solar. Under its Renewable Energy Policy 2025, the government aims to source 20% of its electricity from renewables by 2030 and 30% by 2040.

Kursiv Uzbekistan also reports that Uzbekistan has again featured prominently in UNESCO’s global «Tree of Peace» initiative.