Peaking plant likely to start power generation June 20
The state-run Peaking Power Plant at Shikalbaha under Patiya upazila is likely to go into generation from June 20 after failing to meet its deadline of September last year.
Construction of Tk 575 crore power plant of 150 Megawatt (MW) started on January 28 in 2009 and was scheduled to be completed by September the same year, sources said.
Chinese company Sino Hydro Corporation was entrusted with the work of setting up the plant. The plant started testing its equipment on April 20 after completion of its construction and installation on March 18 this year.
It will need 34 million cubic feet (mcf) gas for generating 150MW power and 15mcf for running eight hours during peak hours at night, said the sources.
“Testing of the installed equipment is going on full swing and we hope to go into generation from June 20,” said the plant Project Director (PD) Asadullah Mian of Bangladesh Power Development Board (PDB).
"We have already contacted Bakhrabad Gas Systems Limited (BGSL) and got assurance of getting the required quantity of gas to start test run at the plant," Asadullah said.
"As it is a peaking power plant, we would run it from 4.00pm to 12.00pm,” he said, adding, “We would run the plant round-the-clock if the BGSL can supply us the 34mcf gas.”
Asked about setting up gas-fired plant amid acute gas crisis in Chittagong, he said tender for this gas-fired 150MW plant was floated on April 7 in 2007 when the gas crisis was not so acute. Later, contact was signed with the Chinese company in February in 2008 as per the tender.
"However, keeping gas crisis in mind we have floated an international tender on April 15 this year to develop double source facilities with introduction of system to run the plant on fuel oil alongside gas," he said.
“The tender process will be completed by June this year and the plant is expected to be developed as a double source one with introduction of new facility at an estimated cost of Tk 80 crore to Tk 90 crore within next eight months,” he hoped.
The company will have to count demurrage for failing to complete the work within the stipulated time according to the contact, Asadullah said.
In this regard, Chittagong PDB Chief Engineer (Generation) Mohammad Abu Taher said generation at the 150MW plant will surely help rid the consumers of the power crisis to a great extent.
“If BGSL can supply required gas for the plant, the loadshedding in Chittagong will be reduced significantly,” he said.
Mentionable, consumers here are now experiencing over 200MW loadshedding for five to six hours a day.
Rainfall over last two weeks has reduced the demand of power while an increase in water level at Kaptai Lake is also ushering hope to increase generation at Karnaphuli Hydro Power Station, said the PDB sources.
One unit of the 420MW capacity Raozan Thermal Power Plant is now generating on an average 180MW while Karnaphuli Hydro Power Station 90MW to 100MW, 55MW rental plant of Energies Power Corporation 40MW to 50MW and 24MW rental plant of Regent Power 18MW to 22MW. National grid contributes 100MW to 200MW to lessen the loadshedding, they added.
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