$5b energy projects to be on offer for overseas investors

http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.com/more.php?news_id=85521

$5b energy projects to be on offer for overseas investors
Road shows in London, NY, S’pore next month

M Azizur Rahman

The government will offer energy projects worth $5.0 billion to global firms for investment during the overseas road shows in London, New York and Singapore slated for next month, officials said Wednesday.

“The projects include large power plants and a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal,” power secretary Abul Kalam Azad told the FE.

The power ministry will urge international reputed companies to invest in the $4.0 billion power projects and $1.0 billion LNG terminal.

The road shows will be held in London on December 15-16, New York December 17-19 and Singapore December 21-22, said the power secretary.

“We will require investments worth $7.0 billion for electricity generation in the next five years until 2014,” Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) chairman ASM Alamgir Kabir told the FE Thursday.

Several multilateral donor agencies, including the World Bank, Asian Development Bank and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), have already committed to provide fund worth $3.0 billion for building the independent power producer (IPP) projects, said the BPDB chairman.

The remaining $4.0 billion IPP projects will be put in place for the global players during the road shows, he said.

The IPP projects that will be put on offer for investment during the overseas road shows include Bibiyana 450 megawatts (mw), Meghnaghat 450 mw and Bhola 225 mw projects.

Four coal-based power plants to generate a total of 2,000 mw of electricity and two furnace oil-run IPP projects to generate 100 mw of electricity each at Savar and Kaliakoir also planned for offer for investment.

“The LNG terminal project worth $1.0 billion has been incorporated for offer alongwith with the large power plant projects for offer to ensure the country’s future energy security especially in the port city Chittagong,” Petrobangla chairman Dr Hussain Monsur said.

Initially, the LNG project was not planned for offer during the road shows.

The government is planning to set up a LNG terminal in the port city Chittagong with a target to meet the soaring energy demand for the liquefied gas, said the Petrobangla chairman.

He said the capacity constraints of the country’s existing transmission pipelines along with the sharp fall of Sangu gas output have led to the energy supply crunch in the port city.

“The Ashuganj-Bakhrabad gas pipeline does not have the capacity to carry gas beyond 185 million cubic feet gas per day (mmcfd) from the country’s gas-rich northeastern Sylhet region to the southeastern Chittagong,” said the Petrobangla chairman.

This pipeline is currently carrying 170 mmcfd of gas.

The country’s lone operational offshore Sangu gas field is now supplying only around 40 mmcfd of gas, which was as high as 220 mmcfd before, he added.

The Sangu is experiencing pressure drop by day and the experts predict the field will be out of operation by next two years, Dr Monsur said.

He said setting up of the LNG terminal in Chittagong and the subsequent import of LNG will end energy crisis in Chittagong as the power plants and industrial units could meet their energy needs by LNG.

A number of industries could not go into operation in the port city only due to energy supply shortfall.

Energy ministry officials said the government has moved to arrange the overseas road shows to woo the global players for investment in the country’s energy projects, seen crucial to cope with the country’s soaring energy demands.

Bangladesh urgently needs new energy sources as government forecasts have indicated that its current gas reserves will run out by 2014-2015 at current consumption rates.

The country’s proven reserves now stand at 6.93 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) and probable reserves at 5.5 Tcf.

Govt move to boost gas production

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Govt move to boost gas production
FHM Humayan Kabir

The government has taken a “first track” scheme to augment gas production by 120 million cubic feet per day over the next two years from the country’s largest Titas field in order to overcome the prevailing energy supply crunch, officials said.

State-owned gas producer Bangladesh Gas Field Company Ltd (BGFCL) will spend Tk 10 billion to develop four wells for producing the additional gas and also check seepage in five wells of the Titas field, the company officials said.

Titas gas field in Brahmanbaria district is the largest in the country with its reserve of 5.13 trillion cubic feet (TCF) and second largest gas producing field supplying 420mmcf of gas per day from its 14 operative wells.

“Under a first track scheme, we have sought project approval of the executive committee of the national economic council (ECNEC) before starting the development works,” a senior BGFCL official told the FE Friday.

He said if the four wells are developed, additional 120-mmcf of gas per day will be added to the national grid within two years.

The official said they will also appoint an international firm to control the gas leakage in the field and repair five vulnerable wells there in a bid to ensure secured gas production for long.

The company has already invited tender to hire an international firm to plug the leakage that started from well no. 3 of the gas field in 2006.

Geologists assume the Titas field has been losing one to five mmcf of gas per day because of the leakage since 2006.

In early 2008, BGFCL spent $10.2 million for sealing the troubled well no. 3 to stop gas leakage, but it failed to achieve the desired result.

“It is good news that the Asian Development Bank has assured us of providing nearly $120 million fund for implementing the first track project,” the BGFCL official said.

The official said: “We will start development works at Titas from next year as the country is heading towards severe gas crisis from 2013. We hope to raise total production to over 550mmcf per day by 2012 as the gas pressure in the field is still encouraging.”

The present gas flow pressure of the Titas Field is 1900 PSI against its initial pressure of 3,300 PSI 39 years back.

“Under the project we will also ascertain the present reserve of the country’s largest gas field. The survey will help us undertake future development plan,” the BGFCL official said.

BGFCL is the largest gas production company in the public sector, as it produces nearly 730mmcf of gas per day from its five fields-Titas, Habiganj, Bakhrabad, Narshingdi and Meghna.

Present gas production capacity of 79 gas wells of all the government and foreign energy company owned fields is about 1950 mmcf per day, leaving over 200mmcf shortfall.

Due to sever gas supply crunch, the government has already stopped new gas connections to the bulk and domestic customers in some areas in the country.

1000 MW Russian nuke unit planned

http://nation.ittefaq.com/issues/2009/11/17/news0773.htm

1000 MW Russian nuke unit planned

Staff Reporter

Russia will build a complete 1000 megawatts nuclear power plant in Ruppur charging a minimum cost from Bangladesh .

The government informed it at a meeting of the parliamentary standing committee on Science and Information Technology yesterday.

Bangladesh and Russia on May this year signed a memorandum of understanding on peaceful use of nuclear energy, for construction of civilian nuclear power plant having a capacity of 600 megawatts at Ruppur in Pabna.

“In a gesture of goodwill and as a mark of Russia’s contribution in establishing independent Bangladesh in 1971, the country has offered us to build the power plant,” Alhaj Dabirul Islam MP, president of the parliamentary body told the New Nation yesterday.

The meeting discussed in detail the nuclear power project, nuclear medicine institute building construction and modernization project, ADB-financed projects, providing fellowship and donation to research activities by the ministry and activities of the Nuclear Safety and Radiation Control Department.

The Parliamentary watchdog body suggested the concerned authorities, including the Education Ministry, to take necessary steps for distributing computers to all educational institutions of the country in phases to build Digital Bangladesh.

While discussing the progress of implementation of the Ruppur Nuclear Power Project, the meeting was also informed that a memorandum of understanding has been signed recently between ROSATOM of Russia and BAEC of Bangladesh for providing assistance in peaceful use of nuclear power.

Besides, progress on setting up complete computer labs in 128 educational institutions of the country and connecting online board to the tables of lawmakers in parliament was discussed at the meeting.

Committee members Tanvir Shakil Joy, Nasimul Alam Chowdhury, Junaid Ahmed Palak, Mohammad Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Anny, Shawkat Ara Begum and Salma Islam attended the meeting.

Power generation show begins Thursday

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Power generation show begins Thursday
Star Business Report

An exhibition on power generation and transmission will be held in Dhaka on November 12-14.

Renowned local and international companies are expected to participate in the three-day event.

Conference and Exhibition Management Services Ltd (CEMS) will hold the exhibition at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in the capital, CEMS officials told a press conference at the National Press Club yesterday.

The fair styled Power Bangladesh 2009 will showcase development of power generation and transmission, alternative power, photovoltaic (PV) power and renewable energy sector.

A total of 78 local and foreign companies from 16 countries will exhibit their products and services at the show, open from 10:30am to 7:30 pm every day without any entry fee.

This exhibition will bring together under one roof all stakeholders of the country’s power and energy industry,” said Meherun N Islam, president of CEMS.

She said organising such a fair is very much pertinent with the government plan to invest US $ 6 billion in the sector in the next few years.

Foreign participators will also be able to get a glimpse of the investment climate here, she added.

Bangla Trac Limited (Bangla Cat) is the co-sponsor of the fair, while Green Delta Insurance Company Ltd is the insurance partner.

Caterpillar Inc, USA, Aksa Power Generation, Turkey, BRB Cable Industries Ltd of Bangladesh, Donaldson of the United States, Guangzhou Diesel Engine Factor of China, JST Technology Inc.BHD of Malaysia include the possible participants in the show.

Nazrul Islam Fakir, senior vice president of Bangla Trac Limited, also spoke at the press conference.

143 firms get BERC licence to produce 797MW power

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143 firms get BERC licence to produce 797MW power
Staff Correspondent

Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) has issued licence to 143 companies since January to generate 797 MW of power, State Minister for Energy, Power and Mineral Resources Mohammad Enamul Haque told the House Thursday.

He said the government has massive plans to generate 3,462 MW power by 2014 while to overcome power crisis by 2011.

According to his statistics, two companies obtained licences as Independent Power Producer (IPP) to generate 40 MW and 50 MW of electricity while three others as Rental Power Plant (RPP) to generate 86 MW, 50 MW and 51 MW.

Besides, the rest of the companies as Captive Power Producer (CPP) will generate a total of 520 MW of power.

The state minister also said a total of 2,280 kilometre of electric network would be set up under 24 palli biddyut samities in the current fiscal year.

Govt to lay Tk 5.9b gas pipeline in s-w region

http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.com/2009/11/07/83637.html

Govt to lay Tk 5.9b gas pipeline in s-w region

FHM Humayan Kabir

The government will lay 845-kilometre pipeline at a cost of Tk 5.9 billion to supply gas to the southwestern region and run 1150-megawatt (mw) capacity proposed and existing power units, and other consumers, officials said.

The state-run energy corporation — Petrobangla — has said that natural gas supply through the pipeline would help boost economy of the less developed southwestern Khulna region.

The corporation has recently sent the project proposal to the planning ministry to get approval of the government’s highest project review body ECNEC.

After getting the nod of the ECNEC, the Petrobangla will start laying the pipeline from January next year and complete its work by December 2012.

The pipeline will supply gas to Khulna, Jessore, Bagerhat, Kushtia and Jhenidah districts.

A senior Petrobangla official said his organisation will be able to supply gas to the existing 110mw and 60mw power units in Khulna and to another 60mw unit at Bheramara, now running by diesel and furnace oil, through the pipeline.

Besides, the planned 210mw and 110mw power plants in Khulna and 450mw plant at Bheramara will also get gas connection after completion of the pipeline installation, he told the FE.

“We are hopeful that the country’s gas production will go up by 400 million cubic feet from its existing and new gas fields by 2012. So, there will be no problem to supply gas to the southwestern region,” the official said.

Absence of gas and adequate power supply are the major barriers to the development of the country’s south and north-western regions.

Poverty rate in southwestern Khulna is the second highest in the country as its poverty incidence is five per cent higher over the average 40 per cent rate of Bangladesh.

The government has also started laying transmission and distribution pipelines for supplying gas to the country’s another economically underdeveloped north-western region Rajshahi.

The project is expected to be complete by June 2011, Petrobangla officials said.

The director of Petrobangla said out of the Tk5.9 billion cost for the 845-km pipeline to Khulna region, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) will provide US$40 million (Tk2.80 billion) and the rest of the fund will be mobilised from the local resources.

The official said: “Some small and medium industries have already been set up in the southwestern region. If we can ensure gas supply, those will run smoothly and heavy industries will also be set up there.”

Govt. to set up 7 power stations in N-region

http://nation.ittefaq.com/issues/2009/11/05/news0718.htm

Govt. to set up 7 power stations in N-region

BSS, Rajshahi

The present government has started setting up of seven power plants in six northern districts under Rajshahi division aimed at minimizing the power shortage.

Chief Engineer of Northern Distribution Division under Power Development Board (PDB) Latifur Rahman told BSS here today that tender documents were already received and evaluation works of those are progressing.

He said additional 370 megawatts power will be added to the national grid on successful completion of the construction works which will help fulfilling power demands in the 16 northern districts at a larger-scale. Of the total seven, he said and four stations would be established with the government’s own expenditures while the three others will be on rental basis.

Engineer Rahman hoped that the stations will go on generation by March 2011. He said the rental stations are 50- megawatt each at Thakurgaon, Syedpur under Nilphamari and at Katakhali in Rajshahi.

The government will purchase the generated electricity from these stations and will supply those to the consumers’ level at a subsidized rate. Besides, the state-owned stations are 50-megawatt each at Katakhali of Rajshahi Santaher of Bogra, Baghabari of Sirajgonj.

Land of railway department has been selected for setting up power plant in Santahar.

He said additional gas will not be provided for operating any more power plants. So, there is no alternative to furnace oil, diesel or coal to generate electricity.

He said the government has adopted the programme for setting up of furnace oil based rental power plants that would solve the region’s existing power crisis within the next two years.

As part of this, construction of another coal-based 125- megawatt power unit is at the final stage at Boropukuria. It is expected to go into production next year. The diesel-run power plants will start generating furnace oil-based electricity by next March, Latifur added.At present, he said the PDB supplies around 420 to 450 megawatt power to the 16 northern districts through the national grid against the daily average demand of 700 megawatts.

To bring balance in production with the demand, 300 megawatt more power will be added to the new regional gridline.

On the other hand, he mentioned that the government has also approved a proposal for establishing six more 33-kilovolt power sub- stations each in Rangpur, Gaibandha, Sirajganj, Pabna, Dinajpur and Thakurgaon districts.

Sugar mills plan to produce electricity

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Sugar mills plan to produce electricity
ANISUR RAHMAN KHAN

The government is planning to generate around 100mw power from the country’s 15 state-owned sugar mills by using sugarcane’s bagasse.

Recently, prime minister instructed the Bangladesh Sugar and Food Industries Corporation (BSFIC) to work on the project, and as per her directive, BFSIC asked the Bureau of Research Testing and Consultancy (BRTC) of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) to conduct the feasibility study in this regard. The final report of the study is likely to be available within two months, said BSFIC chairman Ranjit Kumar Biswas.

Talking to The Independent BSFIC chairman said, “About five lakh tonnes of bagasse are produced by the BSFIC mills annually. About 95 per cent of this is used for mill’s boilers which provide power for running the factory during the sugar crushing season.

Sugar mills are engaged in producing sugar through crushing sugarcane for about three months, Biswas said, adding, “About nine months of a year sugar mills remain inoperative.”

Biswas said, “Our prime minister has directed us to conduct a feasibility study on how power could be produced from these sugar mills during the off season.” “We are very much hopeful that more power could be added to the national grid if the project is successful,” he added.

When contacted, a top official of the power development board (PDB) told The Independent that the 15 sugar mills can produce 100mw of power continuously.

Considering the acute power crisis, the government has taken several initiatives to resolve the power crisis on a priority basis.

The government has already started the process to install small and rental power plants with a generation capacity of 450 megawatt electricity.

The Power Development Board (PDB) is currently supplying about 3700mw of power against the demand of about 5500mw, sources said.

Earlier, the government launched daylight saving time (DST) programme on June 19 with a view to saving electricity.

The aim was to save 200 megawatt electricity. Power Development Board yesterday claimed they could save 196mw electricity.

New co to be set up to increase coal-based power generation

http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.com/2009/11/01/83116.html

New co to be set up to increase coal-based power generation

M Azizur Rahman

The government will form a new company styled ‘Bangladesh Coal Power Company’ to set up the planned coal-fired power plants and increase the country’s electricity generation by using the mineral, officials said Saturday.

The power ministry has already decided to create the company after enlisting it with the Registrar of the Joint Stock Companies and Firms (RJSCF), a senior ministry official told the FE.

He said the proposed new company will boost electricity generation from coal, which is abundant in northern Bangladesh.

Immediately after formation of the company it will be engaged to facilitate setting up four coal-fired power plants to generate 2,000 megawatts (mw) of electricity, each having generation capacity of 500 mw.

The power ministry has taken up the programme for installing four coal-fired

power plants under the new concept of the private public partnership (PPP) where the government will own only a fraction of its shares for offering land and infrastructure.

It will require around US$ 3.0 billion (Tk 210 billion) for setting up these coal plants.

When contacted Chairman of Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) ASM Alamgir Kabir said the board is now working on the formation of the new company to augment electricity generation from the coal-fired power plants.

The company will be constituted with the efficient people where some BPDB officials will also get appointment, he said.

“The BPDB has already initiated the groundbreaking work and is now selecting sites for setting up the plants,” he said.

It has primarily selected – Karnaphuli river bank in Chittagong, near Mongla seaport in Khulna, Jazira on the bank of Padma and at Meghnaghat on the bank of Meghna – for setting up the plants for smooth transportation of coal.

Initially, the planned power plants will be run with the imported coal from the global markets, including the key exporting countries like Indonesia, Australia and India.

The existing infrastructure like drafting in waterways and expansion of railway tracks will be required for efficient coal transportation, said a power ministry official.

All the four proposed coal-fired power plants along with some independent power producer (IPP) projects will be put on offer during the road shows in three key important locations – New York, London and Singapore – in December next.

“The major task of the proposed company will be to arrange finance, necessary coal supply and develop required infrastructure,” said the power ministry official.

Despite having enormous coal reserves of around 3.0 billion tonnes in five different mines the country’s coal-fired power generation is limited to only one plant at Barapukuria having the generation capacity of 250 mw.

Even the Barapukuria plant is struggling to generate electricity to half of its installed capacity.

The country is waiting for adoption of a national coal policy to start coal extraction from the mineral-rich northern region.

The country’s overall electricity generation is now hovering around 3,800mw against the peak hour demand for over 5,500mw.

German investors talk energy with Hasina

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German investors talk energy with Hasina
Unb, Dhaka

A high-profile German business and investment delegation yesterday apprised Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of their keen interest to invest in sectors such as gas exploration, coalmining and renewable energy.

Meeting with Hasina at her office, the eight-member delegation led by Peter Clasen, head of Bangladesh section of OAV, a network of German companies doing business in the Asia-Pacific countries, said they are interested in expanding trade and business in Bangladesh.

The Germans prefer Dhaka and Chittagong as their chosen places of investment, Prime Minister’s Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad told reporters after the meeting.

The delegation also expressed their willingness to help Bangladesh in modernising its agriculture system by building modern technology-based farms and imparting training to the farmers on processing organic food items.

On renewable energy, the team said Germany as an expert country in this sector can help Bangladesh introduce solar energy and biogas systems on a massive scale.

Hasina expressed her happiness following the delegation’s interest in making investment in Bangladesh.

She said Germany can import ceramics, leather products and pharmaceuticals from Bangladesh.

In this context, the prime minister mentioned that Bangladesh has already started exporting ships to Germany, the Netherlands and Denmark-opening up a new vista for external trade.

Hasina observed that Bangladesh could not achieve its development at required level as its democracy could not run uninterruptedly in the past.

MCCI pitches energy sector to German investors

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MCCI pitches energy sector to German investors

Star Business Report

Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) yesterday called upon German investors to exploit business potentials by investing in the power sector of energy-hungry Bangladesh.

“At this juncture, Bangladesh needs urgent investment in power sector. German investment in producing electricity through coal-based power plants, windmill and solar energy will be of great value,” said Abdul Hafiz Choudhury, president of the chamber.

He made the call at a meeting with a visiting mission of OAV-German Asia Pacific Business Association at the office of MCCI, one of the oldest trade lobby group, representing leading companies and business houses in Bangladesh.

Peter Clasen, head of the delegation, said they are interested in exploring business prospects in solar energy and environmentally protective coal-based power plants.

The MCCI president’s call came as Bangladesh suffers from an average 900MW of electricity shortage daily against the maximum generation of about 3,800MW with stakeholders saying economy might grow faster if power crisis could have been solved.

Bangladesh economy, spurred by growth in exports, remittance and rising domestic demands, grew more than 6 percent per year before the global financial turmoil.

Economy however grew 5.9 percent in fiscal 2008-09.

The government, according to the MCCI president, offers incentives like 15-year tax holiday to private sector electricity producers to accelerate the growth of the economy by addressing power shortage.

“Incentives provided to the power sector investors are excellent and any investment in this sector will enjoy a win-win situation,” said Choudhury.

He also invited German investors to tap business potentials in other infrastructure projects such as port, transport and communications, especially under public-private partnership.

“We feel that potential of the commercial relationship between our two countries can yield mutually beneficial results if German investments can be attracted to Bangladesh,” the chamber president said.

Such investment can ensure production of goods and services, which have demand in Bangladesh and the prospects for export to third countries with the advantage of LDC tariff benefits, he said.

Nuke agreement with Russia signed

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Nuke agreement with Russia signed
Deal aims at setting up power plant
Unb, Dhaka

Bangladesh signed with Russia a protocol deal on cooperation in the field of peaceful usage of atomic energy as the country plans to install a nuclear power plant.

The agreement was signed in the Russian capital, Moscow, on October 21 during the visit of a nine-member Bangladesh delegation headed by State Minister for Science and ICT Yeafesh Osman, according to a message received here yesterday.

M Neazuddin Miah, additional secretary of the Ministry of Science and ICT of Bangladesh, and Mikhail N Lysenko, director of the State Atomic Energy Corporation “Rosatom” of Russia, signed the accord on behalf of their respective governments,

The Bangladesh delegation visited Russia on October 18-22 for spot inspections of Russia’s nuclear sites preceding the deal signing, following a series of talks between the two sides.

According to the protocol, a joint working group between Bangladesh and Russia will be formed and its composition and schedule of work be defined in the working process, the message said.

It was agreed in the accord to arrange further exchange of visits from both the sides, particularly at experts’ level.

The Bangladesh side will prepare the proposals by the end of this year on organisation of meetings of their experts with Russian specialists on “the most practical issues of mutual cooperation”.

During the visit, the attention of Bangladesh delegation was drawn to the possibilities in connection with the development of national programme and its essential parts–legal framework in the area of peaceful usage of nuclear energy.

The Bangladesh delegation sought support from the Russian Federation in establishing nuclear power plant and the Russian side assured of extending possible assistance to Bangladesh in the regard.

Following this umbrella deal, the matter of signing the framework agreement on the “Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant” was discussed. The main procedural issues on completion of negotiating the text of agreement and carrying out its technical revise in Russian, English and Bengali were finalised.

“The draft agreement is under examination and soon it would be ready for signing,” the release said. It was agreed that it will be signed at a mutually convenient time.

Practical steps on the realisation of the “Memorandum of Understanding” between Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission and the State Corporation “Rosatom” on cooperation in the area of peaceful usage of nuclear energy, signed in May this year in Dhaka, were also discussed.

During the tour, the Bangladesh delegation also visited the unit 4 of Kalininskya Nuclear Power Plant and the crisis-management centre of ‘Energoatom Concern’.

The crisis management centre is an integral part of the NPP to ensure fall safety and security of the NPP round the clock.

The Russian Crisis Centre is based on a concept embracing the best experiences and ideas of the leading nuclear powers–the United States and France–and underpinned by up-to-date information technologies, computer equipment and telecommunications.

A meeting was held between the visiting delegation and the senior management of “Atomstroyexport”, the sole Russian Company to undertake Procurement, Construction and Project Management (EPCM) in nuclear power plant abroad.

It revealed from their presentation that the third-generation NPP using the state-of-the-art technology has an estimated life of 60 years with the provision of extension by another 20 years.

The delegation also made a presentation on ‘Power System Planning of Bangladesh status of Nuclear Power Programme’.

A meeting was held between the Bangladesh delegation and SV Kiriyenko, former Russian prime minister and director general of Rosatom. The meeting discussed the basic issues of the current Russia-Bangladesh cooperation and its perspectives.

Recalling that the Russian government and people stood shoulder to shoulder in Bangladesh’s liberation war, Yeafes Osman said the government has outlined the target of generating 20,000 MW electricity by 2021 to ensure universal electrification in Bangladesh.

The former prime minister of Russia concurred with the current situation in Bangladesh and assured of providing all possible support to Bangladesh in this regard.

Road shows mulled to woo investors

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Road shows mulled to woo investors
Star Report

The government plans to stage road shows in London, New York and Singapore in early December to attract investors for several of its large power projects including 2,000-megawatt coal-fired power plants.

The Power Development Board (PDB) sent a proposal in this regard to the power ministry earlier this month suggesting the show may be held in mid-November. “But now it looks like the shows cannot be held before early December,” said a top PDB official.

The power projects include four 500 MW coal-fired projects, Meghnaghat phase two 450 MW, Bibiyana phase two 450 MW and Bhola 150 MW projects.

Officials at the shows would inform prospective investors about the government’s plans to set up more plants in the proposed Savar leather processing zone and Jaidevpur high-tech park.

These plants would require more than $3 billion investment.

“The road shows in December will be the power sector’s largest overseas shows ever. Previously the government held a road show in Dhaka for the 450 MW Meghnaghat-1 plant back in 1996-97,” said the official.

The road show will give prospective investors information about the government’s financial incentives for foreign investment, tax benefits and how their investment would be secured.

Power plant equipment price has come down to the decade’s lowest right now. So, it is a good time to push through the bids to bag cost effective deals involving high quality machinery, the sources pointed out.

These projects represent a vital part of the government’s planned mid-term solution to power crisis beyond 2011. In the next five years, the government plans to implement 7,000 MW new power projects along with transmission and distribution lines. These would require around $10 billion investment.

The government aims at raising one fourth of this investment from local banks, and getting the rest from international financiers.

Four study groups of the PDB have been working out details of the coal-fired and other power projects.

So far the country has focussed on gas-based power projects. Implementing coal-fired projects demands that the PDB work out how coal would be purchased, supplied, transported and stored.

The PDB proposed that the coal should be of high quality to ensure least possible pollution. Such high quality coal may be imported from Indonesia. The PDB rules out Indian coal as it contains high level of sulphur.

It is primarily estimated that the country would need one lakh tonnes of coal each month to generate 2,000 MW power. Such a huge quantity of coal would be imported through ships and transported through waterways.

Consequently, the sites selected for the plants– Khulna, Chittagong, Zazira and Rajshahi– are all located by major rivers and seashore.

“We will need adequate environment and infrastructure support to ensure sound implementation of these projects,” said a PDB source.

The coal plants should be equipped with efficient and least pollutant machines like those currently used in India and Germany. We do not have ready-made knowledge about it. That is why we need to have a consultant to guide us through this process,” he said.

N- power plant: Dhaka to sign deal with Moscow

http://nation.ittefaq.com/issues/2009/10/25/news0640.htm

N- power plant: Dhaka to sign deal with Moscow

Shamim Jahangir

The government will agree to sign final deals with Russia for installation of 600MW to 1,000MW electricity generating nuclear power plant within four to five years at Rooppur as a part of peaceful nuclear deal.

State Minister for Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Yafez Osman yesterday told The New Nation after returning from Russia on Friday after a visit to Kalinin Nuclear Power Plant in Russia, about 200 kilometers north-west of Moscow.

Russia installed two separate power plants having capacity of 1,000MW of Power each at Kalinin Nuclear Power Plant.

The high powered team led by the state minister included Power Division Secretary Md Abul Kalam Azad and ICT Secretary AKM Abdul Awal Majumder.

“We have convinced the Russian initiative to generate electricity from nuclear plant,” he said, adding, “After talking with the Russian counterpart, we have proceeded another step to set up the nuclear power plant in Rooppur here.”

Terming his visit in Russia as ‘a great progress’, Yafez Osman said that Russia will form a technical team to visit the Rooppur site immediately.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the two countries in this regard on Thursday last in Russia.

Earlier the government has signed a bilateral agreement and a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on installation of the nuclear power plant between Bangladesh and Russia on May last.

Russian government is now scrutinizing the deals to sign the final agreement with Bangladesh, an official who also visited Russia told The New Nation yesterday.

“They will inform us about their interest immediately,” he said.

About the financial terms to install the plant, he said it would be settled after negotiation between the high-level policy makers of the two countries.

The first initiative to install nuclear power plant in Bangladesh in Rooppur, Pabna was taken by Prime Minister’s husband late nuclear scientist Dr Wazed Miah in 1961.

Currently 439 nuclear power plants are producing 16 percent of the total electricity around the world.

2nd rented power plant in Ctg starts production next month

http://nation.ittefaq.com/issues/2009/10/20/news0237.htm

2nd rented power plant in Ctg starts production next month

Chittagong Bureau

Power crisis here in the region is likely to improve slightly by middle of November this year when the second rental power plant at Shikalbaha in Patiya starts generation.

Informed sources said that nearly 80 per cent of the installation work of the 75-megawatt furnace oil-run power plant had already been finished by now and the rest of the work would be completed by the first week of November.

Messrs Energies Power Corporation, a private company, is implementing the German-origin rental power plant project at an estimated cost of Tk 2600 million. Royce Power, a Hong Kong based firm, is providing technical assistance to the project.

“The plant will go on trial run by first week of November if things are all right,” Managing Director of the Energies Power Corporation (EPC), owner of the power plant, Javed Hosein told reporters.

Earlier, Messrs Energies Power Corporation successfully commissioned the region’s first rental power plant at Barabkund in June this year. It was 24-megawatt furnace oil-run power plant.

Initiators commissioned the power plant near the Shikalbaha gas turbine power plant in January this year. The Power Development Board (PDB) is learnt to have signed accord to buy 55-megawatt of the plant’s generation while the rest will go to a number of industrial units nearby.

Officials at Power Development Board (PDB) speculated modest improvement in total power generation scenario in the region.

“A number of medium scale generation capacity power plants are still needed to address the ever-growing power demand in the region,” a top official of the PDB here in the port city commented.