Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday formally inaugurated the newly-set up 412 MW Haripur combined cycle power plant, the largest base-load power plant in public sector under the incumbent Awami League government. Electricity Generation Company of Bangladesh (EGCB) has implemented the power plant project at Haripur in Narayanganj with financial support from Japan.
Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has provided US$ 491 million for a number of components in the Haripur power plant project, including extension of a 132KV substation for power evacuation, construction of 1.6-km gas pipeline, and relocation and demolition of old substations. EGCB sources said the power plant is set in motion for full-scale operation, but it may not go into full production until a connecting gas pipeline is completed. Initially, it can supply about 200 MW.
When the pipeline will be built and gas supply to be available in February 2014, the plant will be able to produce 412 MW of electricity consuming 64mmcfd of gas a day. A temporary gas metering station has been installed to supply gas from a 100 MW old power plant on the same premises.
State-run Gas Transmission Company Limited (GTCL) is now implementing a 60-kim Bakhrabad-Siddhirganj pipeline to supply gas to the 412MW Haripur power plant. Officials said the power production cost is Tk 1.7154 per unit with 53 percent efficiency level. Marubeni Corporation of Japan has worked as the Engineering, Procurement and Construction contractor of the project.
Hasina inaugurated the power plant from a public rally organised by local Awami League at Shaheed Manju Stadium, Araihazar. From the rally venue, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina also inaugurated Muktijoddha SM Mazharul Haque Auditorium and Community Centre at Araihazar, Narayanganj Circuit House and Sri Jyoti Basu Memorial Library and Seminar Hall at Sonargaon.
She also laid the foundation stones of the main office of Bangladesh Institute of Research and Training on Applied Nutrition (BIRTAN), Primary Teachers Training Institute in Narayanganj, extension of upazila complex and the extended administrative building at Araihazar, extended administrative building of upazila complex in Rupganj, 576.214-metre long PC Girder bridge on the Shitalakhya River at Murapara Ferighat, Agricultural Training Institute, upgradation of Bandar upazila health complex to 50-bed from the existing 31-bed one, 75-metre long PC Girder bridge on Doyakanda Canal under Araihazar upazila and Siddhirganj 335 MW combined cycle power plant. -UNB
