The second unit of the country’s largest coal-fired power plant at Payra in southern Bangladesh is expected to go for commercial operation in first week of October as its trial run already started, an official said, reports BSS.
“We are expecting that Honourable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the 660 MW second unit of Payra power plant in the first week of October,” Managing Director of North-West Power Generation Company Ltd (NWPGCL) A M Khurshedul Alam told BSS on Tuesday.
He said the first 660 MW unit of the power plant started commercial operation in May last.
According to the project details, Bangladesh-China Power Company Limited (BCPCL), the owner of the Payra coal-fired power plant, inked a contract with a Chinese consortium for engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) of the 1,320MW coal-fired power plant near the Payra seaport in Patuakhali district on March 29, 2016.
It said China National Machinery Import and Export Corporation (CMC) is implementing the power plant project, which is a joint venture initiative of NWPGCL and BCPCL. The BCPCL is now importing coal from Indonesia.
The consortium of the China Energy Engineering Group, the Northeast Electric Power Construction Co Ltd, and the China National Energy Engineering & Construction Co Ltd is implementing the power plant project as the EPC contractor, the details said.
Khurshedul Alam said currently the NWPGCL is supplying 2,500 MW to the national grid, which would be 3,100 after commercial operation of the second unit of the Payra power plant.
Apart from this, two separate power plants with some 2,300 MW capacity are under construction including Khulna Power Plant with 800 MW and Payar power plant with 1,300 MW, he said.
Asian Development Bank (ADB) has given loan for 800 MW power plant in Khulna, being implemented by China as EPC contractor while Chinese Export Import Bank is financing for construction of 1,300 MW Payra power plant project, he added.
Khulna Power Plant is expected to open in 2023 as the construction of the Payra power plant is hoped to complete in the same year, he continued.