“We’ve successfully commissioned the first unit of the 1320 MW power plant as per our schedule around 12 noon,” a top official at the North West Power Generation Company Ltd (NWPGCL) told UNB.
The Bangladesh-China Power Company Limited (BCPCL), a special joint venture company of Bangladesh’s state-owned NWPGCL and China’s state-owned China National Machinery Import & Export Corporation (CMC), has been constructing the power plant involving about $2 billion as part of understanding between Dhaka and Beijing.
Initially, the power plant is generating 10 MW power and the production will go up to 660 MW at the final stage of generation, said the NWPGCL official.
Earlier, the 400 kV Payra–Gopalganj power transmission line was commissioned on December 31 aiming to evacuate electricity from the new power plant.
The first unit of the Payra power plant, which was conducting test run on completion of construction, was waiting for this new transmission line to start its operation.
Officials said this has been the very first power plant to be run through imported coal, and the first consignment of coal reached the country in September 20 last by a large ship from Indonesia.
“Now, we’ve 45 days’ stock of imported coal in our storage. So, the power plant will hopefully run continuously,” said the NWPGCL official adding that there is an import arrangement to bring required coal from Indonesia.
Bangladesh-China Power Company Limited (BCPCL) hopes the second unit of the plant will be able to start operation by June next as transmission facilities are being prepared.