Officials have confirmed that the Matarbari thermal power plant, located in Moheshkhali upazila of Cox’s Bazar, is on track to begin operations in January 2024. The power plant, with a capacity to generate 1,200 MW of electricity, has been financed by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
The Matarbari power plant is a crucial component of the broader Moheshkhali power complex plan, initiated by the Bangladesh Power Development Board in 2013. This plan envisions multiple coal and gas-fired plants, including the 1,200 MW plant.
The project received environmental approval in October 2013, and its groundbreaking ceremony was held in January 2018. After receiving approval for a cost and deadline revision from the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) on November 23, 2021, the project’s revised cost stands at Tk 518.55 billion, up from the original Tk 359.84 billion, with a significant portion allocated for deep seaport facilities.
Following the successful test run in June, the plant is gearing up for scheduled commercial production early next year. Initial production is expected to reach 600 MW of electricity, with an additional 600 MW to be added by March 2024.
Construction progress on the two units of the Ultra Supercritical Coal-Fired Power Plant has reached approximately 80 percent completion, as reported by sources. The Coal Power Generation Company Bangladesh is overseeing the project implementation and allocated a budget of Tk 518.55 billion.
Covering an expansive area of 1,500 acres, the thermal power plant comprises two thermal units based on ultra-supercritical coal-fired technology, each with an installed capacity of 600 MW.
The engineering, procurement, and construction contract was awarded to a consortium of Sumitomo, Toshiba, and IHI in August 2017. Toshiba Plant Systems and Services, a subcontractor of Sumitomo, is responsible for constructing the port and providing other plant equipment and associated civil work.
Engineer Abul Kalam Azad, the project director, expressed optimism about running both units in early 2024.
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