Page 6 - AsiaElec Week 08 2021

AsiaElec COAL-FIRED GENERATION AsiaElec

Bangladesh to drop 7,500 MW of

proposed coal power projects

BANGLADESH THE Bangladeshi government has decided in most of the coalfields in Indonesia.
principle to scrap 7,461 MW of proposed new The country’s domestic coal output at Bara-
coal power capacity at nine sites around the pukuria is set to fall, making the company reliant
country after widespread criticism from both on imports if the government chooses to pursue
domestic and global environmental groups. coal to meet rising power demand.
The decision came from a monthly review The government is also pushing renewables
meeting of the government’s Power Divi- and imported LNG, but coal remains a key player
sion chaired by Power Secretary Md Habibur in the country’s power sector.
Rahman. The use of coal would destroy the country’s
This means that the proposed Moheskhali chances of cutting pollution and reining in CO2
1,320-MW power plant, the Ashuganj (Pat- emissions.
uakhali) 1,320-MW plant and 1,200-MW A recent report from the Centre for Research
Uttarbanga super thermal plant – all of which on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), together with
are state-owned projects – are likely be dropped the local Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA),
from the government’s plans. recently warned that the adverse impacts of the
This means that only two state-owned plants existing and under-construction coal-fired
will remain in the government’s development power could end up causing the deaths of around
plans. This includes the Matarbari coal power 71,000 people throughout their lifespan in the
plant, which was 44% finished in December 2020 next 30 years, mainly due to air pollution, toxic
and is likely to be commissioned in 2024. deposition and other environmental hazards.
Meanwhile, projects led by foreign investors, CREA conducted the studies on eight pro-
such as a 700-MW Singapore-Bangladesh joint posed coal-fired power projects in greater
venture and the separate Mitsui & Co-backed Chattogram in September 2020, the newly con-
1,200-MW project at Matarbari, are also likely structed Payra coal-fired thermal power project,
to be scrapped. and proposed plants in greater Barisal in May
In addition, Orion Group’s four private plants 2020 and the Rampal power project.
at Munshiganj, Dhaka and Chattogram are also Some 16 coal-fired power plants will be
set to close as progress has been slow, and Orion responsible for the high levels of air pollution
has failed to finish them withing the prescribed that will put the Bangladeshi population at an
seven-year timeframe. elevated risk from the coronavirus (COVID-19)
“We will no longer implement the four coal- pandemic, the report said.
fired power plants, as those projects hardly made Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA) Gen-
any progress over the last seven years,” BPDB eral Secretary Sharif Jamil said: “while publishing
chairman Balayet Hossain told the Daily Sun. the report, we have called upon the authorities
The reluctance of private investors to push to scrap the coal-fired power projects for saving
forward coal projects means that BPDB will lives.”
now attempt to develop the projects and to raise “It is really unprecedented and unaccepted to
finance. take up coal-fired power plants when the whole
However, State Minister for Power and world gave up on it due to environmental pollu-
Energy Nasrul Hamid warned that coal procure- tion,” he added.
ment had already emerged as a major problem, The government aims to expand the country’s
blaming Chinese companies that had leased out generation capacity to 60,000 MW by 2040.™

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