Construction work on the 1200-megawatt Matarbari coal-fired power plant at Maheshkhali in Coxs Bazar is around 6 percent ahead in its targeted progress. Up to August, almost 26 percent work has been completed, a top official said. State-owned Coal Power Generation Company Bangladesh Limited (CPGCBL) is implementing the project at a cost of Tk 35,984 crore, of which Tk 7,045 crore is coming from the government exchequer and CPGCBL fund, and the remaining Tk 28,939 crore as project assistance from Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
CPGCBL Managing Director Golam Kibria told Bangladesh Post, The construction work of Matarbari power plant is going on in full swing. We are now ahead of our targeted work. Up to last month, 25.55 percent work had already been done. If everything goes well, we hope the first unit with a 600 MW generation capacity would go into operation by January 2024, and the second unit with same capacity, by July 2024 respectively.
He also said, they are building the power plant using latest technology to prevent any harmful impact on the environment. There is no human habitation nearby the power plant as it is located along the sea, a good advantage. Implementation of this project will minimize demand-supply gap of electricity, create employment opportunity and develop skilled manpower through transfer of modern technology, he continued.
Local people, who were affected by the land acquisition, have been given technical training for income generation, Kibria said. The CPGCBL official said, some 1,608 acres of land has been acquired for the construction of the power plant. Currently the land development work is going on, which is expected to be completed this year.
Besides, works on constructing buildings for official purposes and employees accommodation, channel dredging and temporary jetty for the project are also making fast progress. According to the plan, the land should be ready for piling by 2020 and the main construction work of the power plant will start in the same year, the CPGCBL official said.
This project comprises construction of jetty and coal handling facilities for coal import, coal storage, power plant construction, township development, rural electrification, construction of transmission facilities and road communication. Thousands of local and foreign people are working day and night there.
The main challenge for imported coal-based power generation in Bangladesh is the shallow draft along the Bangladesh coast. On that consideration, according to plan, the work for constructing a 14.3 km long, 250 metre wide and 18.5 metre deep channel is progressing for linking with the adjacent Bay of Bengal.
By 2022, the work for a general jetty and coal jetty will be completed. This jetty would be used for unloading all heavy equipment and machinery of the power plant. A massive coal yard is also being built to facilitate stockpile of imported coal. The work is expected to be completed by 2023.
According to CPGCBL sources, two steam turbines with 600MW capacity, circulating cooling water stations, 275-metre-high chimneys and water purification systems will be installed under the project. A coal jetty and a common jetty would be constructed at the plant-end of the channel. This coal jetty would be used for importing coal for the 2,400 MW capacity power plants including 1200 MW in second phase. The work on the two jetties would be completed by 2021.
Ships with capacity of 80 thousand dead weight tonnes can unload using these two jetties. CPGCBL has appointed a consultancy firm to act as owner engineers. The consortium of Sumitomo Corporation, Toshiba Corporation and IHI Corporation of Japan is engaged as EPC (Engineering, Procurement and Construction) contractor for construction of the project. TEPSCO, NIPPON KOEI, FICHTNER & SMEC are the consultants of the plant.
The agreement was signed on July, 27, 2017. Prime minister Sheikh Hasina laid the foundation of the plant on January 28, 2018. The construction work was started on August, 22, 2017.