On 19^th June 2025, the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (EEE) of the European University of Bangladesh (EUB) organized an industrial visit to the Karnafuli Hydroelectric Power Station, one of the country’s most significant renewable energy installations. A total of 22 students from the 31st batch, accompanied by 6 faculty members, participated in this educational tour.

The team was warmly welcomed by Md. Mahmud Hasan, Manager, Karnafuli Hydroelectric Power Station, and Md. Koysul Bari, Executive Engineer, Mechanical Maintenance Division-1, Karnafuli Hydroelectric Power Station. The Kaptai Hydro Power Plant is a landmark project contributing to Bangladesh’s sustainable energy goals which is located at Kaptai, approximately 65 kilometers upstream from Chattogram in the Rangamati District.

The EUB team reached the plant at 11:30 AM and spent about four hours exploring its operations. Under the guidance of Md. Mahmud Hasan and Md. Koysul Bari, the students were given an informative tour covering both electrical and mechanical auxiliaries of the 230 MW hydro power plant and the adjacent 7.4 MWp solar power plant.

The guided tour included detailed explanations of how river water, falling from a height, rotates turbine blades to generate electricity. Students observed the plant’s five units of three-phase synchronous generator, their stator and rotor structures, the DC motor used for energizing the rotor’s electromagnet, and the cooling and governing system ensuring optimal performance.

The students also learned about the SCADA system, which enables centralized monitoring and control of the entire power station. The tour continued with a visit to the dam and spillway, where the team saw the gate operation mechanism. They learned how the electricity generated at 11 kV is stepped up to 132 kV by step-up transformers before being fed into the National Grid.

The visit also included an exploration of the 7.4 MWp solar power plant, situated behind the dam. With 2,400 solar panels and 240 inverters, this solar plant supplies clean electricity to the entire Kaptai area, further promoting renewable energy usage in Bangladesh.

At the end of the visit, Mr. Rubab Ahmmed, Assistant Professor, EEE, EUB along with other faculty members, expressed heartfelt gratitude to the engineers for their comprehensive guidance and presented a token of appreciation to the officials for their kind cooperation.

A group photo of all the participants marked the end of the tour, capturing a memorable moment of the journey.

Through this industrial visit, EUB’s engineering students gained invaluable practical knowledge about hydropower and solar power generation and their roles in powering the national grid, bridging the gap between theory and real-world application.

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Educational Industrial Visit to Karnafuli Hydroelectric Power Station by EUB EEE Department

A Learning Experience in Renewable Energy