UNB, Dhaka :
National grid of the country is likely to get about 560 MW of power from April 30 as two base load plants of Summit Group are getting ready for commissioning commercially. The plants are 335 MW combined cycle unit of Summit Meghnaghat Power and 341 MW simple cycle unit of Summit Bibiyana II plant. According to official sources, the Summit Group has informed the state-owned Power Development Board (PDB) that it will be able to commercially commission its Meghnaghat Power Plant’s combined cycle unit by April 30 this year.
The simple cycle unit of Meghnaghat plant has been in operation for last few months, producing over 200 MW.
A progress report submitted to the Power Division shows that Summit has completed 99 percent of its civil and engineering works till end of January 2015.
PDB’s project director for Meghnatghat plant Samir Uddin informed UNB that initially the commercial operation date (COD) was March 31. But due to problem in gas supply the date has now been rescheduled for April 30.
“Now everything is on to keep the target unchanged and we’re hopeful of getting COD as per schedule,” he said.
Once the plant’s COD is done and it starts running in full swing of capacity, the country will get about 335 MW from the Meghnaghat project, said the official.
Besides, the Summit Group’s 341 MW Bibiyana II Plant’s simple cycle unit is getting ready for commercial commissioning by April 30 as well.
As per the progress report, Summit completed 97 percent of its civil construction works and 83 percent of engineering works till end of January. The gas turbine and generator of the plants were set up and the mechanical and electrical works were running.
The 92 percent works of gas pipe line installation has been completed by this time.
PDB’s project director for the plant Saiful Islam Khan informed UNB that Summit has informed the authorities concerned to commission its simple cycle unit by April 30.
Officials said once the simple cycle unit is commercially commissioned, the national grid will receive about 226 MW from the project.
They said that if the Meghnaghat combined cycle unit and the simple cycle unit of Bibiyana-II come into operation by April 30, these two plants will add about 560 MW to the national grid which is now producing between 6500-7000 MW of electricity. Summit Group has signed several contracts with state-run PDB, PGCB, Petrobangla, and Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) to set up dual-fuel 341 MW combined cycle power plant at Meghnaghat of Narayanganj having its 226.6 MW simple cycle unit and also for about a similar capacity gas-fired Bibiyana II power plant at Bibiyana in Sylhet region.
American electric major General Electric (GE) is its partner in both the projects having 20 percent share in each plant while Summit holds 80 percent of the shares.
Summit has engaged a Chinese consortium of NEPC and CNEEC as engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor to install both the Meghnaghat and Bibiyana plants.
