Power agencies to expedite power plants

Dhaka: The Power Division on Sunday asked power agencies to expedite the different projects for setting up power plants of large and medium sizes that should come into operation in the next two to three years.

A meeting of the division, chaired by special assistant to the chief adviser M Tamim, reviewed the progress of a number of government-funded power projects and independent power plants as most of the projects are running behind schedule.

The projects include the five 150 MW power plants at Shikalabaha, Chandpur, Sylhet, Sirajganj and Khulna, one 2x150 MW plant at Siddhirganj and two 450 MW independent power plants at Bibiyana and Sirajganj.

Power secretary M Fouzul Kabir Khan, Military Institute of Science and Technology’s commandant Abdul Wadud and other high officials of the Power Division, Power Development Board and Power Cell were present at the meeting.

The meeting was told that the contract for the dual-fuel Shikalbaha power plant would be signed with a Chinese company, Sino Hydropower Corporation, and the plant is scheduled to start operating by September 2009.

The Power Development Board has already re-tendered the government-funded Chandpur power plant, which has been running behind schedule for months. A Chinese company, Harbin Power Engineering, that was selected for setting up the plant last year backed out from signing the agreement, demanding increase in the tendered cost. The expected date for signing the contract after re-tender is September 29.

The meeting was told that the division would again send to the council of adviser’s purchase committee a proposal within a day or two to select the costly and lone bid of an Indian company, Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd, for setting up the Sylhet power plant. The purchase committee had earlier sent back the proposal as it found the bidding process shady and asked the division to clarify the irregularities.

The meeting was told that the pre-tender work for setting up the Sirajganj, Khulna and Siddhirganj power plants, funded by the Asian Development Bank and World Bank, was going on and, after finishing the work, bids would be invited for the three plants.

The tentative dates for signing the contracts for setting up the Bibiyana and Sirajganj independent power plants have been extended by a month as the Power Cell is still discussing the tender process with the pre-qualified bidders. The projected date for signing the contract for the Bibiyana plant is July 15 and for the Sirajganj plant is September 14. The plants are expected to be installed by 2011.