Despite the Covid-19 pandemic crisis, there has been remarkable progress in the construction works of the Patuakhali Coal Power Plant Project, with nearly 50 percent of its work already completed.
RPCL-NORINCO Intl. Power Limited (RNPL), a joint venture of state-owned Rural Power Company Ltd. (RPCL) and China state-run NORINCO International Cooperation Ltd. with the equal partnership is implementing the project, RNPL official said.
Md Salim Bhuiyan, Executive Director (Engineering) of RPCL, told Bangladesh Post that the construction work of Patuakhali 1320MW coal-fired thermal power plant is going on in full swing at Dhankhali of Kalapara Upazila in Patuakhali district and is expected to be completed within the scheduled time.
‘Around 50 percent work of the project has already been completed. The power plant is likely to start generation by 2023. The people there had no other occupation except farming and fishing. This project has created a lot of jobs there. People are renting out their houses, all kinds of commercial activities have expanded, including new shops,’ he added.
The official said, the first unit having a capacity of 660MW of electricity of the power plant will go into operation in August 2023 and the second unit with the same capacity by December in the same year. Per unit power generation cost will be around taka 6.50. The power plant will require about 12,000 metric tonnes of coal per day. Coal will be imported from Indonesia and Australia.
An official said that the power plant will be built using ultra-supercritical technology along with high-quality coal. Ash of the coal will not have any negative impact on the environment as all the mechanisms including chimney, ash pond and boiler tube will be used to control the fly ash. A 220- meter high chimney will be used here.
According to the power purchase agreement', the period of this power plant is 25 years. “However, with regular maintenance, we will get electricity from here for 40-50 years,” said an official.
Currently, steel super structure erection work for the boiler and main powerhouse of the first unit is going in. Besides, the construction work of Administration Building, Engineering Building, Workshop, Multi-Purpose Hall, Fuel Oil Tank and Mini fire Station is also going on full swing.
On the other hand, the foundation work of Boiler (2nd Unit), Main Power House (2nd Unit), Central Control Building, Chimney, Turbine-Generator House (1st Unit) and Flue Gas Duct (1st Unit) is in progress.
RNPL official said it was issued NTP (Notice to Proceed) on August, 31, 2019 in favor of the EPC contractor. Major equipment of the power plant like Boiler (Herbin), Steam Turbine (Dongfeng), and Generator (Dongfeng) are being manufactured in China, which will be delivered at the site.
Read more: Vehicles auctioned for scrap parts roam freely in Patuakhali
A total of 2739 people ,including 380 foreigners and 2359 Bangladeshis, are working on the project site.
The Project official said that about 915 acres of land in the project area has already been acquired. Those who have suffered due to land acquisition for the project received all kinds of incentives as per the rules of the government.
He also said that apart from the incentives, a modern town has been built for them to live in. In addition to housing, there is a school, health center, mosque, playground, market and other facilities.
Meanwhile, construction of project office and accommodation facilities, including piling of goods handling jetty, access road, is in progress.
A Consortium of “Tianjin Electric Power Construction Co. Ltd., China Huadian Engineering Co., Ltd and China Wanbao Engineering Corporation (TEPC-CHEC-CWEC)” is setting up the power plant as a turnkey contract worth taka 1.77 billion.
The Export-Import Bank of China (Lead) Syndication with Bank of China will be the lender of the project. However, initially up to 30 percent of the total EPC cost will be borne by EPC contractors from their own finance.
An MoU was signed between RPCL and NORINCO International Cooperation Ltd. to build the power plant on May 09, 2016. The Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) was signed between the BPDB (Bangladesh Power Development Board) and RNPL on February 20, 2019.
As part of the government's plan to increase power generation in the medium and long term, the power generating company Rural Power Company Limited (RPCL) has set a target of setting up new power plants with a total capacity of 2,730 MW by 2030, including renewable energy.
The Patuakhali 1320 MW power plant is one such plant. Once constructed the power plant will be able to play a significant role in the socio-economic development of the country and uninterrupted power supply.
In addition, the country’s first coal-fired mega power plant with a capacity of 1320MW has started its generation in Payra at Patuakhali.
The construction of 1,200MW coal-fired power plant at Matarbari is expected to go into operation by 2024 while construction of the 1320 MW power plant in Bagerhat’s Rampal is underway.
