The country is set to get its first 60MW-capacity wind turbine power plant in Cox’s Bazar, following the signing of a power purchase agreement yesterday.
Abdul Halim, acting secretary of Power Development Board (PDB), penned the agreement with Zahurul Islam khan, managing director of joint venture US-DK Green Energy Ltd, at the capital’s Bidyut Bhaban.
The US-DK Green Energy Ltd is a joint venture between US-based Taylor Engineering Group LLC, Denmark-based Ph-consulting Group and Bangladesh-based Multiplex Green Energy Ltd.
Another deal was also penned for securing consultancy services for setting up the much-talked-about Rampal power plant in Bagerhat.
Prime Minister’s Energy Adviser Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury, State Minister for Power Nasrul Hamid, Power Secretary Monowar Islam, High Commissioner of Denmark in Bangladesh Hanne Fugl Eskjaer, US-DK Green Energy Ltd Chairman Jeremy Gathright
and PDB Chairman Md Abduhu Ruhullah were present during the signing ceremony.
As per the agreement for the wind turbine plant, the PDB will buy electricity from the company for the next 18 years at the rate of $0.12 per unit (kilowatt-hour). The contract basis will be “no electricity, no payment.”
As per the deal, it will start commercial operations within one year. The $120m project cost will be carried by different international and local lenders.
“This will be the first such large scale renewable energy plant and will mark the entry of power generation of Bangladesh in a new era,” State Minister for Power Nasrul Hamid said.
“To find out the scope and formulate a ‘Wind Map,’ an international company is working in our country and will submit its report to the Power Division as early as possible,” he added.
The government plans to generate 10% of the electricity from renewable energy sources by 2030. A source in the Power Division said 50MW-200MW of power could be generated from wind power in different sites.
Earlier, the PDB installed wind mills in Kutubdia and Feni to generate 1MW of power from each project, but the projects failed as 50 turbines under the Kutubdia project was hit by cyclone Aila.
On the other hand, Bangladesh-India Friendship Power Company (Pvt) Ltd signed a deal for rendering consultancy services with German-based Fichtner GmbH and co, KG; to implement the 1,320 megawatt Maitree Super Thermal Power Plant at Rampal of Bagerhat.
The deal was signed in a separate ceremony at the Bidyut Bhaban yesterday by VS Tamrakar, managing director of Bangladesh-India Friendship Power Company, and Karl Peter Schleich, director (business development in Asia) of Fichtner.
