Eight new gas- and fuel oil-based power plants built under public and private sectors are scheduled to go into operation in January next year with an aim of producing 768MW of electricity.
Officials at the Power Division, however, said the electricity generated would not be in use during winter as supply was higher than the demand.
The additional production will be needed during summer,” division’s Secretary Monowar Islam told the Dhaka Tribune.
The government is currently generating maximum 5,400MW of electricity; it was 6,000MW a month ago. Monowar said: “The generation capacity will reach its highest capability after these plants start operation.”
Five of these plants are powered by furnace oil, two use dual fuel – gas, and furnace oil or diesel – and another is powered by gas. The plants were supposed to start operation between June and November this year.
After these plants start production, the country’s power generation capacity will stand at 11,032MW.
The new furnace oil-based plants implemented by independent power producers are: 102MW Gogonnagar plant in Narayanganj, 108MW Potiya plant in Chittagong, 52MW Natore plant in Rajshahi, 53MW Kathpotti in Munshiganj, and 50MW Patenga in Chittagong. The dual fuel-powered Meghnaghat 300-450MW plant will initially generate 220MW.
The other dual fuel 150MW plant in Sirajganj – implemented by the state-owned North-West Power Generation Company Limited – is already producing 75MW of electricity and will now start producing 75MW more.
The gas-based 108MW Ghorashal plant in Narsingdi is also implemented by an independent producer.
The government celebrated the milestone of 10,000MW of power generation on November 11. At present, the country’s electricity generation capacity from 86 plants stands at 10,264MW.
