Karnaphuli Hydroelectric Power Station has taken a project to install a 7.4 MW capacity solar panel in Kaptai project area.

The authorities have already fixed a location to install the solar panel and the work to install it will start soon, said ATM Abduzzaher, managing engineer of Karnaphuli Hydroelectric Power Station.

The solar panel will be installed in brick filed area of Kaptai Power Station and a total of 7.4 MW power will be produced from it which will be added in the national grid, he said.

Already 7.5 MW power is being produced from the existing solar panel and steps are being taken to produce one MW more power from the panel, said Abduzzaher.

According to the authorities, there is an acute shortage of water at the Hydropower station and the water level of Kaptai lake is 76 MSL (Mean Sea Level) and if the water level falls below 70 MSL then the production of the power station will be stopped.

A total of 240MW electricity can be produced by the five units of the hydropower station. However, both power production and navigation get disrupted during the dry season which lasts from October to February.

Meanwhile, residents of brick filed area, where the solar panel will be set up, are worried of possible eviction as they have been living there for the past 50 days.