Rajshahi has potential of 125MW power plant

Rajshahi has potential for setting up of a 125-megawatt (MW) coal-fired power plant at Katakhali within three years, a PDB survey team informed RCC Mayor AHM Khairuzzaman Liton yesterday.
The four-member team led by Latifur Rahman, chief engineer of Rajshahi Power Distribution Centre, met the mayor at his office after completing a two-day survey at the site at Katakhali on the outskirts of the city.
The survey team was formed following a proposal of the mayor for setting up of a 40-MW power plant at Katakhali to the concerned ministry as the city dwellers are suffering from acute load-shedding and erratic power supply due to lack of a power plant.
They informed that coal or gas can be used as fuel of the plant as carrying coal from Barapukuria coal mine is easy and establishment of gas pipelines in Rajshahi is underway.
They also said that necessary water for the power plant would be available from the nearby Padma river and an infrastructure for carrying the water to the plant is already at the site.
Other members of the team include Executive Engineer of PDB Design-1 Kazi Absar Uddin Ahmed, Deputy Director Debabrata Ukil and Executive Engineer (Planning) AK Mahmud.
They said establishment of the power plant would take only three years instead of normal six to seven years as an infrastructure for such plant is already there.
Power Grid Company Manager Debashish Das, Superintendent Engineer of Rajshahi PDB Arjad Hossain and senior officials were present.