The government has sketched up a plan to build a 500MW-600MW combined cycle power plant in Matarbari of Cox’s Bazar that will be based on regasified LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas).
This project will be a joint venture of Coal Power Generation Company Bangladesh Limited (CPGCBL) and Japan’s MITSUI and Company Limited.
CPGCBL and MITSUI will jointly build and finance the plant. The project will be implemented on a 50:50 equity basis.
Md Abul Quasem, Managing Director of CPGCBL, said, “We have received a proposal from MITSUI to build a LNG-based combined cycle power plant in Matarbari. We have already sent an opinion to the Power Division.”
If the Power Division accepts the proposal, then this will be only the second joint venture power plant where imported regasified liquefied natural gas (LNG) will be used.
Abdul Quasem said that deals and memoranda of understanding (MoU) have already been signed to set up six LNG terminals and expressions of interest (EoI) have been called for establishing more terminals.
“Petrobangla is gearing up for the import and distribution of LNG as fuel to meet the country’s power demand. We hope that they would supply LNG to the proposed power plant at the government rate” he added.
Meanwhile, the government has moved to import LNG as it is reeling from acute gas crisis due to the fast depletion of current reserves and lack of new discoveries.
At the moment, a unit of electricity from a gas-run plant costs less than Tk2 while the same unit produced by a diesel or oil-run plant costs Tk14 to Tk18.
The CPGCBL and Singapore’s Sembcorp are building a 700MW ultra super-critical power plant in Matarbari. The CPGCBL will also construct a 1,200MW ultra super-critical plant with JICA-funding in Matarbari.
Source: The Daily Ittefaq
