Work on 300mw Siddhirganj peaking power plant begins
Sunday, 9 November 2008
FHM Humayan Kabir
The power division has begun works on setting up a 300-megawatt (MW) peaking power plant at Siddhirganj in Narayanganj after getting confirmation of funding from the World Bank, officials said.
"We've already sent the development project proposal to the planning ministry for obtaining approval of the ECNEC (executive committee of the national economic council)," a senior power division official told the FE.
He said on getting ECNEC nod the electricity generation company of Bangladesh (EGCB), a subsidiary of the power division, will float an international tender to select a contractor for installing the peaking power plant.
The Washington-based global lender has recently confirmed $350 million loan for the power project, which also includes installations of a gas pipeline and a power transmission line.
Bangladesh's demand for power has now stood at about 5000MW a day. The power producers supply only 3400MW to 3800MW a day, leaving about 1000MW to 1500MW shortfall.
Poor electricity supply is estimated to cost around 2.0 percent in gross domestic product (GDP) growth each year because of production losses in industries and other areas of economic activities.
The power division sources said an international contractor will be selected within a few months. The construction work is expected to start by the first half of next year."
"We hope the proposed 300MW gas turbine power plant at Siddhirganj plant will start generation by June 2011," one power division official said.
A 60-km natural gas pipeline from Bakhrabad to Siddhirganj will be laid and an 11-km electricity transmission line erected under the project.
A planning ministry official said the project evaluation committee will soon examine the power proposal before placing it at the ECNEC meeting.
The power division has begun works on setting up a 300-megawatt (MW) peaking power plant at Siddhirganj in Narayanganj after getting confirmation of funding from the World Bank, officials said.
"We've already sent the development project proposal to the planning ministry for obtaining approval of the ECNEC (executive committee of the national economic council)," a senior power division official told the FE.
He said on getting ECNEC nod the electricity generation company of Bangladesh (EGCB), a subsidiary of the power division, will float an international tender to select a contractor for installing the peaking power plant.
The Washington-based global lender has recently confirmed $350 million loan for the power project, which also includes installations of a gas pipeline and a power transmission line.
Bangladesh's demand for power has now stood at about 5000MW a day. The power producers supply only 3400MW to 3800MW a day, leaving about 1000MW to 1500MW shortfall.
Poor electricity supply is estimated to cost around 2.0 percent in gross domestic product (GDP) growth each year because of production losses in industries and other areas of economic activities.
The power division sources said an international contractor will be selected within a few months. The construction work is expected to start by the first half of next year."
"We hope the proposed 300MW gas turbine power plant at Siddhirganj plant will start generation by June 2011," one power division official said.
A 60-km natural gas pipeline from Bakhrabad to Siddhirganj will be laid and an 11-km electricity transmission line erected under the project.
A planning ministry official said the project evaluation committee will soon examine the power proposal before placing it at the ECNEC meeting.