Matarbari plant to generate 1,200MW from Friday

Matarbari Ultra Super Critical Coal Fired Power Plant will go for 1,200 MW electricity generation from Friday, as coal was imported for power generation.

"We have ensured coal supply for the plant to keep it in operation for electricity generation," A J M Ershad Ahsan Habib, director general (additional charge) of the power cell, said today.

He said Matarbari Ultra Super Critical Coal Fired Power Plant is currently under maintenance.

"From now on, the coal crisis will not be visible, as coal is coming in every week. Each unit of the plant having 600 MW generation capacity requires 5,000 metric tonnes of coal per day, with 5,000 metric tonnes for another unit," he added.

Habib said workers of the power plant have been unloading coal from mother vessels within 2-3 days instead of 10-15 days.

He said the country generated 10,000 MW power yesterday as electricity demand is gradually decreasing due to winter.

According to information, the 1,200 MW two-unit power plant was shut down from October 31 due to coal shortage.

It said a ship bearing the Indonesian flag arrived at the jetty of the power plant with 70,000 metric tonnes of coal last week. Apart from this, another Indonesian ship with 60,000 metric tonnes of coal arrived at Matarbari power.

Manowar Hossain Majumdar, supervising engineer (transportation) of Matarbari Site Office of Coal Power Generation Company Bangladesh Limited, told journalists recently an agreement was signed for coal import.

According to the agreement, Meghna Group and Birla will import 3.5 million metric tonnes of coal for the power plant in a year.

The Power Cell DG said now the demand for electricity is less than before due to the winter season which is already approaching.