1,200 MW Moheshkhali coal-fired power plant may start operation by June ’24

CHATTOGRAM Jun 4: Two units of the Ultra Supercritical Coal-Fired Power Plant financed by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) with the capacity of generating 1,200 MW at Moheshkhali is expected to go into operation by June 2024.
Abul Kalam Azad, Project Director said at least 60 per cent construction works of the two units of the power plant have been completed so far. He also said the first unit will go into production in June 2024 while the second unit in December the same year.
Matarbari coal-fired power plant is being developed at Maheshkhali in Cox's Bazar. Coal Power Generation Company Bangladesh Ltd (CPGCBL), a state-owned enterprise, is developing the project.
The Executive Committee of National Economic Council (ECNEC) cleared the first revision of Matarbari 2X600 MW Ultra Supercritical Coal Fired Power Project, raising its cost by Tk 15,870 crore and extending the deadline up to December 2026 from June 2023.
The approval came from the weekly ECNEC meeting held virtually with ECNEC chairperson and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair on November 23 in 2021.
The cost of the Matarbari project now stands at Tk 51,854.88 crore against the original cost of Tk 35,984.46.
At least 98 per cent of the additional cost of Tk 15,870.42 crore would be utilised for ensuring deep seaport facilities.
Matarbari power plant was proposed in September 2011 and granted environmental approval in October 2013.  Ground-breaking ceremony for the project took place in January 2018.
The plant is expected to account for 10 per cent of the total generation capacity of Bangladesh.
Matarbari thermal power plant is being developed on a 1,500-acre site.  It consists of two thermal units based on ultra-supercritical coal-fired technology, with an installed capacity of 600 MW each. A consortium of Sumitomo, Toshiba and IHI was awarded the engineering, procurement and construction contract for the project, in August 2017.
Sumitomo subcontracted Toshiba Plant Systems and Services for constructing the port and providing other plant equipment and associated civil work, while Penta-Ocean Construction was awarded a US$1.4 billion subcontract for the construction works of the Matarbari port. The construction of a 14.3km long, 250m wide and 18.5m deep channel for the port is complete. The work to widen the channel by another 100 meters is still ongoing.
Once completed, the channel will enable ships with a capacity of 80,000 tonnes to sail in. It will look like the Kashima Port in Japan. Two jetties have been constructed for the plant and a dozen more will be built for commercial use. One of the jetties for the plant will be used to import coal and the other for oil.
Toshiba will supply the steam turbines and generators for the power plant, while IHI will provide the boilers. Sumitomo awarded the civil engineering contract worth $840 million to Posco E&C, a company based in Korea.