CHATTOGRAM, Jan. 6: The S S Power Limited situated at Banshkhali, has threatened to go into shut down from January 16 if their overdue bill is not settled by January 15.
In a letter to the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB), the SS Power Limited said that it would be forced to shut down at least one unit unless overdue payments are settled by January 15.
According to S S Power sources, the total dues amount to Taka 4000 crore. If the BPDB fails to make payment within the stipulated time, the SS Power would go into shut down.
As result, the country could face disruption, raising the risk of load-shedding at the advent of the year 2026.
BPDB sources said that even a partial shutdown of the S S coal-fired power plant which regularly generate over 1,200 MW daily, would create an instant supply gap, despite lower electricity demand during the winter season.
There is an agreement between SS Power Plant and the PDB. Under the agreement, PDB will buy electricity from the plant for a period of 25 years.
But in a letter on December 29 last, SS Power Plant informed the BPDB that if the PDB is persistently fail to make timely payment SS Power Plant's ability to procure coal, spares, consumables and essential services, will be in jeopardy , thereby adversely affecting the safe and reliable operation of the plant.
SS Power Plant reiterated that continued non-payment places it in an increasingly untenable position and exposes it to serious operational, contractual and safety risks.
However, the PDB authorities have not responded to the letter yet maintaining a mysterious silence.
At the same time, the company sent another letter to the General Manager of Dilkusha Branch of Rupali Bank PLC mentioning that the total outstanding amount under the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) presently stands at Taka 32,793,258,603. Of the amount, the company has demanded payment of Tk 7,698,228,644 under a BPDB Letter of Credit issued by the Bank in favour of SS Power Plant which is yet to be furnished.
Built at Gandamara union of Banshkhali upazila in Chittagong district, spending $18 billion, SS Power Plan has also mentioned that it doesn't have enough money to import coal due to the PDB's reluctance to non-payment of outstanding amount of dues. The company imports coals from Indonesia spending a large amount of foreign currency to generate and supply electricity for the national grid in Bangladesh.
Run in cooperation with the Chinese partners SEPCO-III and HTG, the coal-based 1,320 megawatt power plant has been supplying electricity to the national grid, alleviating much of the sufferings of people throughout the country.
It may be recalled that SS Power Plant was inducted into the national grid on January 14, 2023. Then the plant started supplying power to the national grid from May 24.
Meanwhile, the SS Power Plant has been facing multiple shutdowns, primarily due to coal shortages in 2023, causing significant power disruptions. More recently, in late 2024/early 2025, the plant and other S Alam Group businesses were indefinitely shut down amid investigations into financial irregularities, with the plant potentially halting operations in January 2025 due to over Tk 4,000 crore in unpaid bills, risking major load-shedding.
