Coal import on cards to build stock

The government is going to import one lakh tonnes of coal to build a stockpile, said State Minister for Power and Energy Nasrul Hamid yesterday.

He told this to reporters at his Secretariat office during an exchange of greetings on the first workday after the Eid-ul-Azha.

Hamid said a tender had already been invited in this regard.

An official of the power division said the Power Development Board (PDB) had requested for the quotation before the Eid so that the coal could be imported soon for smoothly running the coal-based power plants.

He added the government would select the country from which to import the coal from on the basis of quality and price.

The government has taken an initiative to import coal to run Barapukuria coal-based power plant in Dinajpur as supply from the country's lone coalmine, Barapukuria Coal Mining Company Ltd (BCMCL), has stopped.

“As an alternative, we have already considered import of coal,” Power Division Secretary Dr Ahmad Kaikaus told reporters after a function at Bidyut Bhaban in the last week of July.

The 525MW Barapukuria coal-based power plant suspended production on July 22 for an indefinite period for lack of fuel supply, a fallout of around 1.45 lakh tonnes of coal “going missing” from the coalmine yard.

Power supply in the country's northern region has been hampered severely as Barapukuria power plant, which depends on coal supplies from the BCMCL, was shut down.

Immediately after the power plant was closed, the government formed a committee to look into the possibility of coal import.

The power secretary on July 28 said they would import coal suitable for Barapukuria plant, adding, they had already started contacting coal-exporting countries.

Meanwhile, power generated by the Barapukuria plant in Parbatipur upazila of Dinajpur was synchronised with the national grid on a limited scale on August 20, after a month of shutdown.

There are three separate plants at the site capable of generating maximum 535MW power. Of them, the second unit, which has a capacity to generate 125MW, resumed operation and supplied only 40MW to the National Grid. Supply is gradually expected to rise.

On August 20, the plant received around 5,000 tonnes of coal from BCMCL and with that volume of coal, the plant could operate for five days at least, an official at the plant said.

Hamid yesterday said production would resume in September, but it would take until October for the plant to go on full-scale production.

He further said the coal going “missing” from Barapukuria plant started since 2005, adding, that the theft did not happen overnight.

He said 30,000 trucks would have been required to carry the stolen amount of coal, adding, the present government had unearthed the scam.

On hiking the price of gas and electricity, he said the Energy Regulatory Commission would decide on it. The ministry has sent a proposal to the Commission for a moderate price hike so that consumers would not feel the burden, he added.

Hamid also said 100mmcfd imported liquefied natural gas (LNG) has already been supplied in Chittagong area, adding, more LNG would arrive in future.

The first consignment of imported LNG was used at Shikalbaha Power Plant during the Eid-ul Azha.