Monday, December 14, 2009

Bangladesh To Import LNG, Coal To Run Power Plants

The Bangladeshi Prime Minister's Adviser for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Dr Tawfiq-e-Elahi Bir Bikram yesterday said that the government was contemplating to import liquefied natural gas (LNG) and coal to install four coal based power plants and five mega gas-fired power plants to reduce electricity crisis in the country.

He told this to reporters at the Zia International Airport prior to departure to UK for participating in a road show in England for foreign direct investment (FDI) in power sector. Nine officials accompanied him to attend the two day long London road show on December 15 to 16.

We face a shortfall of 500MW to 600 MW of electricity everyday due to gas crisis, the adviser said.

"Due to gas crisis, the government is planning to import LNG for electricity generation," he said, adding, "To establish four coal-fired power plants having capacity of 400MW each, the government has also planned to import coal outside the country.

The government has planned to install three combined cycle power plants having capacity of 1125MW, two peaking power plants of 100MW each, 2000MW to 2600MW capacity of imported coal based power plants and renewable energy based power plant having capacity of 110MW, Power Division Secretary Abul Kalam Azad said.

Energy Division Secretary Mohammed Mohsin said that Bangladesh has nine trillion cubic feet of gas proven reserve so far. Our daily demand is about 2,300 mmcfd (million cubic feet) per day.

The government is planning to set up one LNG terminal having capacity to preserve 3.5 million tons LNG.

Executive Chairman of the Board of Investment S A Samad said Bangladesh offers incentives for foreign direct investment.

"We will showcase our better investment climate through the road show in Bangladesh power sector," he said.

Some 80 interested investors, including 25 expatriate Bangladeshis, have registered online to take part in the road show.

The Singapore road show will begin on January 26 next year while the New York road show will start on January 28.

The government will arrange three separate road shows outside the country for power sector development at an estimated cost of Tk 2.16 crore.

The 9-member delegation of London road show include Power Secretary Abul Kalam Azad, Chairmen of the Board of Investment Dr SA Samad, Petrobangla Chairman Prof Hossain Monsoor, Power Development Board Chairman ASM Alamgir Kabir, and Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation, Energy Regulatory Commission Chairman Syed Yusuf Hossain, Deputy governor of Bangladesh Bank, PDB member power generation and PDB member for distribution.

In New York road show, the Board of Investment will invite 75 foreign and local investors while the number of invitees in Singapore will be 60 persons, sources said.

Board of Investment (BoI) of Bangladesh has already invited chambers' leaders of USA, UK, China, Malaysia, Korea, Russia and some others countries, sources said.

Source: The New Nation

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

The Question I would like to ask the bangladesh delegation is " Why dont you use the 100's of millions tons of coal that is underground at Phulbari".