The Power Division under the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources is working on its own plan to import 500 mmcf LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) per day to exclusively supply gas to the fuel-starved power plants.
"It will be in addition to Petrobangla's move to import LNG," a senior Power Cell official in the Power Division told the FE pointing to Patrobangla's signing of an agreement with a US consortium last week to set up the country's first LNG terminal in the off-shore waters in the Moheshkhali Island.
Adviser to Prime Minister on Energy Affairs Dr Taufique-E-Elahi Chowdhury confirmed the Power Division's move to set up the second LNG terminal while speaking at a function in the city last week.
He said these are part of the government move to urgently meet the country's energy shortage and diversify its sources. The government has also taken up big coal based power plants and accelerating efforts to discover new gas fields to that end. They will also go for off-shore gas exploration in new areas as soon as the maritime boundary disputes withy India is over, Chowdhury said.
Chairman of Power Development Board (PDB) Abdullah Ruhulalh told the FE last evening that they were working on their LNG import scheme. The PDB imported LNG will be exclusively dedicated to supply gas to the power plants, he said.
Director General of the Power Cell Mohammad Hussain said that they are working in two fronts simultaneously to expedite the efforts and reduce the time lag.
In the first place, the Power Cell has already collected Expression of Interest (EOI) from a large number of international firms to run a feasibility study as to where to set up the off-shore terminal, regassification facility of the liquid gas and the storage facility in the mainland. They are about to issue the Request for Proposal (RFP) now using a short list of the respondents to carry out the feasibility.
Meanwhile in the second track, the Power Cell has simultaneously invited Expression of Interest (EOI) from international firms for taking part in the tender process of contract for the construction of the terminal. The date for response is set to expire on June 30. They will harmonize the development in both tracks, said an official.
The Power Division looks forward to quickly build the terminal and put it to use by 2017, he said.
Moheshkhali Island may also be the possible site for the terminal. Some locations at Chittagong coastal belt area are also on the card. The feasibility study will clear the matter.
Power Cell chief, Mohammad Hussain said, they expect Petrobangla will share part of its imported LNG initially for use in the power plants. But since it has to meet the growing demands of the industries and businesses, they are trying to set up their own LNG terminal and start import as soon as possible.
They may line up LNG import from many sources including Qatar and other Middle East countries, he said.
Second LNG terminal to feed power plants
Faruque Ahmed | Published: June 29, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00
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