Banshkhali power plant runs out of coal during experimental production

The 1,320 MW SS Power Plant, owned by S Alam Group and located at Banshkhali in Chattogram, has stopped production due to a lack of coal, two weeks after starting electricity generation on a trial basis. 

The largest private power station of Bangladesh began production on May 24 experimentally, adding 120 MW to the national grid amid frequent power cuts fuelled by a shortage of gas and coal. 

It supplied 320 MW on Wednesday before suspending production on Thursday night, an official at the plant said on condition of anonymity as he was not authorised to talk to the media. 

Rezaul Karim, chief engineer of the Power Development Board’s Chattogram regional office, said the plant was yet to start commercial production. 

One of its two units started electricity generation experimentally, but suspended operation after using up the first stock of coal, he said. 

“The plant gave us support for some days due to the power crisis,” Rezaul said, adding that the next shipment of coal for the plant is expected to arrive by Jun 18. 

The official at the plant who spoke to http://bdnews24.com on condition that he cannot be named said they began production at the request of the Power Division. 

The plant’s first unit with a production capacity of 660 MW can operate at maximum capacity depending on the availability of coal, while the commissioning of the second unit is ongoing. 

According to the company data, SS Power I Limited has finished the physical construction of the 1320 MW coal-fired supercritical thermal power plant. 

It will supply 1,224 MW of electricity to the national grid once commercial operations begin. 

The Bangladesh-China co-owned company has a total investment of around $2.6 billion. 

The S Alam Group of Bangladesh holds a majority share of 70 percent, while the Chinese company SEPCO III Electric Power Construction Corporation owns the remaining 30 percent. 

The 153 power plants in Bangladesh have a combined capacity to generate 27,361 MW of electricity against a demand of around 16,000 MW. 

The ongoing shortage of fuel has forced the authorities to shed a load of 3,000-3,500 MW. 

The situation eased on Friday as the demand fell after rains brought some relief from days of summer heat.