Anisul Islam Noor :Both China and Japan are equally keen to finance construction of a mega power project at Matarbari in Moheshkhali upazila of Cox’s Bazar district. The Bangladesh government has undertaken the $four billion gigantic project, developing 5000 acres of land. It will be gradually implemented by 2030 to get 9000 mw electricity from it.The China National Complete Engineering Corporation (CNCEC) is keen to build a coal terminal and develop land for the proposed power hub at Matarbari, a coastal island in the Bay of Bengal. The Chinese offer is under scrutiny.A joint secretary of Power and Energy Ministry confirmed it having received a letter yesterday. The coal terminal at Moheshkhali would be used by several coal-fired power plants. CNCEC, a subsidiary of state-run China National Machinery Industry Corporation, has also offered government-to-government financing to implement the project, the official added. On May 12, in a written proposal to the State Minister for Power, energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid, CNCEC offered to sign a memorandum of understanding to start the negotiations for commercial contract, sources said. On the other hand, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has also worked technical support to implement the $4billion Matarbari project. The facilities for the Matarbari project would help to set up another 1,200 MW coal-fired power plant there. The Ministry said, construction of a sea port at Matarbari is under consideration. Coal for power plants will be imported through this port. The government plans to develop a five-block 5,000-acre area at Moheshkhali Island to build several mega power plants with a combined generation capacity of around 9,000 MW by 2030. The appointment of consultants for preparing the master plan for the development of the new power hub at Moheshkhali Island is at the final stage, the Ministry official said. The sources said, negotiations with interested companies are expected to begin next year. The government also kept the options open either to go for joint venture between state-run power sector organisations or private investment in building the power plants at Moheshkhali. State-run Coal Power Generation Company of Bangladesh is implementing a project to set up a 1,200 MW coal-fired power plant and the related infrastructure including a deep seaport at Matarbari Island.
