--------------------------------
Amid much concerns over the environmental impact by a section of environmentalists, the coal-fired power plant project in Barguna will add 307 megawatt power to the national grid without negative impact on environment, officials at Bangladesh Power Development Board claim.
The project is being jointly implemented by China's 'Power China Resource Limited' and 'ISO Tech Electrification Company Limited', a subsidiary of Iso Tech Group of Bangladesh at an approximate cost of Tk 405 billion.
The project is being implemented around 300 acres of land at Tagragiri of Borguna, 6.38 kilometer away from Fatrar Char and 21 kilometer away from Sundarbon.
"In fact, a vested quarter is trying to malign the progress of the present government in power sector in the name of environment, an official of Iso Tech Group of Bangladesh told The Daily Observer.
Sustainable power supply is a major precondition for socioeconomic development as well as improvement the quality of life of people of all strata of the society. Coal-fired power plant goes well all over the world despite negative environment impacts.
Energy experts say modern technology is now capable enough to prevent such environmental hazard. Bangladesh government by considering all respects has decided to set up the 350 MW coal-fired plant at Taltali upazila in Barguna district, they say.
Though the power generation cost varies depending on investment capacity, location, transport and other ingredients, coal-fired power generation cost is less than LNG and other fuels, they argue.
The Barguna power plant would start operation from 2022. The Taltali upazila land officer has issued NOC for using 310 acres land on September 10 in 2017, together with the approval of local forest and environment offices on March 30, 2018 by studying environment impact assessment.
Meanwhile, Iso Tech has completed the Purchase Agreement and Implementation formation with the Bangladesh Power Development Board, Iso Managing Director Moinul Alam recently told the press.
''Bangladesh has already been promoted a developing country. So, we have to be much more proactive to reach the stage of a middle-income country," he said.
''Bangladesh has already been promoted a developing country. So, we have to be much more proactive to reach the stage of a middle-income country," he said.
"We are working in line with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's mission, "electricity everywhere,". We already have made all efforts to add three hundred seven megawatts of electricity to the national grid", he said.
After a feasibility study, the incumbent government has decided to set the plant in order to meet up the rising demand of electricity as it does not create any barrier to the sound environment, wildlife and water resources adjacent to the areas, the Iso media adviser Firoz Chowdhury said.
Bangladesh's power generation is highly dependent on natural gas reserves that are dwindling. Under these circumstances, there is no other options but to go for coal-the long-term solution is coal-based power plants in order to meet the rising demand of electricity, the power division sources said.
The government has given top priority to the development of the power sector considering its importance in overall development of the country. The government has set the goal of providing electricity to all citizens of the country by 2020.