http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=102008
Joint venture aims high for power
Star Business Report
Cimillae Development Company Limited, a Korea-Bangladesh joint venture, has sought approval from the government for producing 5,000 megawatt (MW) electricity through coal gasification system in Jamalganj coal mine area of Joypurhat district.
Ali Akkas Nurani, vice president of the company, said they have already submitted application to the Prime Minister’s Office seeking permission to set up a power plant in the coal mine area.
“We are ready to invest $8.0 billion in joint venture with South Korea’s Geed Limited for producing 5,000 MW of electricity within the next three and a half years,” Nurani said at a press conference at Dhaka Reporters Unity yesterday.
Coal gasification is the conversion of coal, char, or coke to a gaseous product by reaction with air, oxygen, steam, carbon dioxide, or mixtures of these.
Nurani said Korea-based Samsung Consortium would provide technological support in setting up the plant, while Green Power Limited of UK would offer the coal gasification technology for producing power.
He said it is possible to produce 5,000 MW of electricity a day for the next 50 years with the existing reserve of coal in Jamalganj, and during this period Cimillae would give $50 billion to the government’s exchequer as taxes and VAT.
The gasification system will not need to evacuate the area, as the coal would not be extracted from the mine, rather it would be fired inside the mine, Nurani said.
“Coal gasification is the real solution to generating electricity within a short time, because all other processes are time-consuming,” he said.
Mutaharul Islam Bhuiyan, former managing director of state-run Petrobangla, said more than 85 percent coal could be used under the coal gasification system to generate power.
In open-pit mining or underground method of coal extraction, it is not possible to extract 85 percent of coal due to digging problems, life risk and higher costs, Bhuiyan said.
Geed Chairman Donald H Kang, among others, was present.
