New Delhi, India (BBN)– The US$ 1.2 billion Indo-Bangla power JV is planning to award the contract for construction of the plant by April 2015 and expected to start commercial generation by FY18.
Arup Roy Choudhury CMD of NTPC said: “We expect to award the contract next year. The company has recently appointed Fichtner Consulting Engineers and is in the process of finalising a consultant who will help in sourcing coal for the project.”
Mr Choudhury said that the plant is likely to consume around 8 million tonnes of coal every year and the entire generation will be based on coal imported into Bangladesh, the Press Trust of India (PTI) reported.
Bangladesh India Friendship Power Company Limited is 50:50 JV between Bangladesh Power Development Board and NTPC. The first project of this venture is the 1,320MW Maitree Project at Rampal in Bagerhat district under Khulna Division in Bangladesh.
At the ninth board meeting of the company, held in Kolkata for the first time with Bangladeshi power secretary yesterday, a few pending issues were ironed out before the tenders are invited for setting up the plant.
The land has been provided by Bangladesh government and NTPC will set up two 660 mw units at the location. NTPC’s expertise will also be used in running the plant.
Monowar Islam, secretary power of Bangladesh government, said that “Following successful implementation of the project, the joint venture may look into setting up additional projects in the country.”
Mr Islam said that at present, Bangladesh faces a total demand of about 7,500MW. A total 500MW is sourced from India of which 250MW is from NTPC.
BBN/SSR/AD-30July14-3:19 pm (BST)
