Barapukuria Power Plant gets 100 tonnes coal: Nasrul

State Minister for Power and Energy Nasrul Hamid today said the Barapukuria Coal Mine authority started supplying 100 tonnes of coal from yesterday to Barapukuria Thermal Power Plant for generating electricity.

“However, it will take one or one and a half months to extract coal fully from a new phase of the mine,” he told newsmen after a workshop on ‘Finalization of Power Policy Training and Net Metering Guideline-2018’ at Bidyut Bhaban here.

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Addressing the workshop as the chief guest, Prime Minister’s energy adviser Dr Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury, Bir Bikram, said the government is working sincerely to ensure electricity supply to the country’s northern region.

The state minister said after the closure of Barapukuria Thermal Power Plant, there is a voltage problem as electricity is being supplied from Sirajganj power plant.

Principal coordinator of SDG to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) Abul Kalam Azad addressed the function as the special guest. Prime Minister’s Principal Secretary Nozibur Rahman also spoke on the occasion.

Azad said that extensive training is needed to build trained people in the power sector in the country, adding, “Power sector requires trained human resources for operating highly technical power plants.” Suggesting some points for including in the training policy draft, he said the foundation training should be at least six months as every trainee would need basic training.

On this issue, the state minister assured that the government is going to establish a power management training institute for building skilled human resources for the power sector.

He said, presently the electricity generation capacity reached to over 18,000 MW, which would be 24,000 MW in 2021 and 60,000 in 2041. So, the sector would require more skilled human resources, he added. Replying to a query about coal import, Power Secretary Dr Ahmad Kaikaus said the government is thinking about importing coal.

He said the government is working to supply electricity to the northern region from other power plants to keep uninterrupted the power supply during the Eid.

Kaikaus said that Rangpur region is experiencing a one and a half hour voltage problem in peak hour, but the situation is becoming normal.

Recently, the power generation at Barapukuria Thermal Power Plant was suspended due to shortage of coal supply from the adjacent Barapukuria coal mine.

A total of 1,44,464 tonnes of coal disappeared and the coal mine authority filed a case against the suspected persons. Meanwhile, the Anti-Corruption Commission is investigating the matter.