18 August 2018 | Daily New Nation
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Bangladesh Government realised that sustainable power supply is a major precondition for the socio-economic development as well as livelihood improvement of the people of all strata. By targeting so, another coal-fired power plant of 350-MW is going to be established in Barguna.
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 approximately cost of Tk 405 billion with a target of generating 350 MW, the sources said.
Regarding coal-fired power plant and its impact on environment, Power Cell Director General Engineer Mohammad Hossain told The New Nation that Bangladesh government considering all respects has nodded to set up 350 MW coal-fired plant at Taltali upazila in Barguna district. Though the power generation cost varies to investment capacity, location, transport and other ingredients, but coal-fired power generation cost is less than LNG and other fuels.
ISO Tech Electrification Company Limited, a subsidiary of this group is moving forward to establish the power plant at Nishanbaria, Upzila Taltoli in the district of Borguna. The power plant's generation begins from 2022 and minimum 307MW power will be added to the national grid, ISO Tech sources said.
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 office on March 30, 2018 by considering environment impact assessment.
On the April 12 in the current year, ISO Tech has completed the Purchase Agreement and Implementation with the Bangladesh Power Development Board and the Government of Bangladesh.
Referring to the importance of electricity in the country, ISO MD Moinul Alam said, ''Bangladesh has already been promoted to middle-income country. In keeping this achievement, we have to be much more prominent to go to the Developed country's Level. To implementing Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's slogan, `electricity everywhere', we have left no effort to add three hundred seven megawatt of electricity to the national grid.''
It 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 up the rising demand of electricity, the government power division sources said.