Summit's Barisal plant to come on stream in Feb

Summit Group's Barisal power plant, the first private sector electricity project in the southern region, will begin operations in February, company officials said yesterday. 

Summit, the country's leading private power company, is close to completing the project and will be able to launch production next month, three months ahead of schedule.

The plant will supply 112 megawatts of electricity to the national grid. “If needed, we can expand our capacity,” said SM Ali Ahsan, the plant manager.

The plant, set to begin operations in February, will add 112 megawatts of electricity to the national grid. Photo: Star

The main power generation machinery has been imported from Finland; the diesel-based plant has an estimated life of 30 years. At least 60 engineers and 40 other staff are working at the plant.

Mainul Abedin, chairman of UDECO Ltd, the engineering, procurement and construction contractor of the plant, said the project is environment-friendly, fuel-efficient and compliant with international standards.

The plant is the 15th power project of Summit Group, which accounts for 16 percent of the electricity generated in Bangladesh, where more than 40 percent of the population is yet to get access to the national grid.