Coal for power generation 'can be a good option'
Wednesday, 21 April 2010
FE Report
Speakers at a roundtable Tuesday said proper utilisation of domestic coal for electricity generation can be a good option as the government plans to create a load shedding-free Bangladesh by 2012.
They made the remarks at the roundtable titled "Load shedding-free Bangladesh: Dreams and Reality" at CIRDAP auditorium in the city.
Md Mizanur Rahman, Director (in-charge), System Planning, Bangladesh Power Development Board in his key-note paper said, "The recent power generation capacity is 5,340 megawatt (mw) and the total number of consumers is 12 million while around 47 per cent have access to power."
"However, the available generation is around 4,000 mw while load shedding is up to 1800 mw during hot summer days," he added.
Hussain Mansur, chairman of Petrobangla, said, "Gas is not enough to generate electricity and now we should go for coal. Around 40 per cent of gas production goes to Power Development Board while 15 per cent goes to captive power plant."
"But captive power plant cannot properly utilise gas so effluent-producing captive power plants should be shut down."
He said "Petrobangla-controlled gas fields generate 2,000 mmcft gas per day and we can add 512 mmcft within 2012 and 1,000 mmcft within 2016."
Chief guest Sate Minister for Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Brig Gen (retd) Enamul Haque said, "Our plan to create a load shedding-free Bangladesh within 2012 is a big challenge for us but we are trying our best to tackle the situation."
He said, "The government is aware about primary fuel and is trying to introduce coal exploration in an environment-friendly way."
Erich Otto Gomm, programme coordinator, GTZ-SED, Prof Ijaz Hossain, Department of Chemical Engineering of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, Iqbal Hassan Mahmood, former state minister for power, among others, spoke at the roundtable.
Speakers at a roundtable Tuesday said proper utilisation of domestic coal for electricity generation can be a good option as the government plans to create a load shedding-free Bangladesh by 2012.
They made the remarks at the roundtable titled "Load shedding-free Bangladesh: Dreams and Reality" at CIRDAP auditorium in the city.
Md Mizanur Rahman, Director (in-charge), System Planning, Bangladesh Power Development Board in his key-note paper said, "The recent power generation capacity is 5,340 megawatt (mw) and the total number of consumers is 12 million while around 47 per cent have access to power."
"However, the available generation is around 4,000 mw while load shedding is up to 1800 mw during hot summer days," he added.
Hussain Mansur, chairman of Petrobangla, said, "Gas is not enough to generate electricity and now we should go for coal. Around 40 per cent of gas production goes to Power Development Board while 15 per cent goes to captive power plant."
"But captive power plant cannot properly utilise gas so effluent-producing captive power plants should be shut down."
He said "Petrobangla-controlled gas fields generate 2,000 mmcft gas per day and we can add 512 mmcft within 2012 and 1,000 mmcft within 2016."
Chief guest Sate Minister for Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Brig Gen (retd) Enamul Haque said, "Our plan to create a load shedding-free Bangladesh within 2012 is a big challenge for us but we are trying our best to tackle the situation."
He said, "The government is aware about primary fuel and is trying to introduce coal exploration in an environment-friendly way."
Erich Otto Gomm, programme coordinator, GTZ-SED, Prof Ijaz Hossain, Department of Chemical Engineering of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, Iqbal Hassan Mahmood, former state minister for power, among others, spoke at the roundtable.