Barapukuria Coal Power Plant

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Barapukuria Coal Power Plant is a 525-megawatt (MW) mine-mouth coal-fired power plant in Rangpur division, Bangladesh.

Location

The map below shows the location of the plant, in Phulbari and Parbatipur upazilas, Dinajpur district, Rangpur district.

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Background on Units 1 & 2

The Barapukuria Coal Power Plant is an existing 250 megawatt (MW) coal-fired power station which is owned and operated by the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) in Dudhipur, Dinajpur province in Bangladesh.[1] Currently the plant has two 125 MW units, but operators are seeking to add an additional 250 MW unit.

The plant was commissioned in 2006 and consumes approximately 450,000 tonnes of coal a year which is supplied by the nearby Barapukuria coal mine.[2][3] In its 2011-12 annual report BPDB states that the cost of coal was 354.63 crore Taka. [3.5 billion taka = approx $US44.9 million at July 2013][4] and that the plant had a load factor of 58%.[1]

Unit 3 Expansion

Barapukuria's Unit 3 is a proposed 250 megawatt expansion of the existing plant. The expansion of the power station is listed by the BPDB as having been approved by the Cabinet "Purchase Committee" with a nominal commissioning date of March 2016.[5] [6]

In 2012, the Bangladesh Power Development Board reported that no progress had been made on the project despite three extensions of the notice for submission of tender for the plant.[7]

In October 2015, it was reported that construction work on the project had begun. The report listed the plant at 275 MW and stated that it would consume 600,000 tonnes of coal annually, with 75 percent coming from Barapukuria Coal Mining Company.[8] Commissioning is planned for 2018.[9][10]

On December 3, 2017, it was reported the new unit was undergoing testing and would be completed soon.[11] In April 2018 it was reported that "development work" on the unit would continue through the end of the year.[12] The unit was reported to be operating in July 2018.[13]

Coal shortages

In July 2018 the plant's three units were shut down due to coal shortages from the nearby Barapukuria Coal Mining Company Ltd (BCMCL). Allegations have been raised that coal has been sold illegally by the government, since there are no technical reasons for the shortage.[13] The plant resumed producing power in September, with the "disappearance" of 142,000 tons of coal still a mystery.[14]

Plant Details

  • Sponsor: Bangladesh Power Development Board
  • Parent company: Bangladesh Power Development Board[15]
  • Location: Phulbari and Parbatipur upazilas, Dinajpur district, Rangpur district, Bangladesh
  • Coordinates: 25.5537569, 88.9486312 (exact)
  • Status: Operating
  • Gross capacity: 525 MW (Units 1 & 2: 125 MW, Unit 3: 275 MW)
  • Type: Subcritical
  • In service: 2006 (Units 1 & 2), 2018 (Unit 3)
  • Coal type:
  • Coal source: Barapukuria coal mine
  • Source of financing:

Contact details

Website: http://www.bpdb.gov.bd/

Articles and resources

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Bangladesh Power Development Board, "Annual Report 2011-12", Bangladesh Power Development Board, page 44.
  2. Bangladesh Power Development Board, "Annual Report 2011-12", Bangladesh Power Development Board, page 48.
  3. "Barapukuria Coal Power Plant", Global Energy Observatory website, accessed July 2013.
  4. Bangladesh Power Development Board, "Annual Report 2011-12", Bangladesh Power Development Board, page 75.
  5. Bangladesh Power Development Board, "Power Generation Project From 2013 to 2017", Bangladesh Power Development Board, January 20, 2013, page 3.
  6. Bangladesh Power Development Board, "Annual Report 2011-12", Bangladesh Power Development Board, page 44.
  7. "3rd Time Extension Notice for submission of Tender for Extension of Barapukuria Coal Fired Thermal Power Station by 250 MW + 10% (3rd Unit) Project," Bangladesh Power Development Board, 08-05-12
  8. "Barapukuria coal power plant adds another unit," Daily Star, October 19, 2015
  9. "Barapukuria Thermal Power Plant:40 pc works of 3rd unit completed," Business News 24, Aug 2, 2016
  10. "Feasibility study deal for expansion of Barapukuria coal mine on Feb 16," Dhaka Tribune, Feb 14, 2017
  11. "National grid to get 275MW from Barapukuria power plant’s third unit," Dhaka Tribune, Dec 3, 2017
  12. "Barapukuria workers threaten strike from April 21," Daily Star, Apr 21, 2018
  13. 13.0 13.1 "Barapukuria power plant shut down after 142,000 tons of coal disappear," Dhaka Tribune, July 22, 2018
  14. https://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/power-energy/2018/09/14/barapukuria-thermal-power-plant-resumes-production-after-53-days, Dhaka Tribune, 14 Sept. 2018.
  15. "Power Generation Project From 2013 to 2017" Bangladesh Power Development Board, January 1, 2013.

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