Hasina opens 412MW power plant in Haripur

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday inaugurated the newly built 412 megawatt Haripur combined cycle power plant, the largest baseload power project in the public sector built by the Awami League-led government.
Electricity Generation Company of Bangladesh (EGCB) has implemented the project at Haripur in Narayanganj with financial support from Japan.
Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) has provided $491 million for a number of components in the project, including extension of a 132KV substation for power evacuation and construction of a 1.6-kilometre gas pipeline.
Hasina opened the power plant from a public rally organised by the local AL in Araihazar upazila.
EGCB officials said the plant is ready for full-scale operation, but it may not go into full production until a connecting gas pipeline is built.
Initially, it can supply about 200MW. Once the pipeline is in place and gas supply is available in February next year, the plant will be able to produce 412MW consuming 64 million cubic feet of gas a day.
A temporary gas metering station has been installed to supply gas from a 100MW old power plant on the same premises. State-run Gas Transmission Company Ltd is now implementing a 60-km Bakhrabad-Siddhirganj pipeline to supply gas to the plant.
Officials said the power production cost at the plant will be Tk 1.71 per unit with a 53 percent efficiency level.
Marubeni Corporation of Japan has worked as the engineering, procurement and construction contractor of the project.