Bangladesh is preparing for the inauguration of the first unit of the Matarbari coal-fired power plant, with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina scheduled to open the 600 MW unit on November 11. Additionally, the Prime Minister will inaugurate the Single Point Mooring (SPM), which is expected to save approximately Tk. 800 crore annually. The first unit, part of a two-unit Matarbari power plant, commenced power generation on a trial basis on July 29, and the second unit’s reactor was installed on September 22. The power plant, located near a deep-sea port, utilizes advanced technology for efficient operations.
The project authority has constructed a jetty and silo for coal transportation and storage, with the silo capable of storing coal for 60 days. Additionally, a mother vessel with an 80,000-ton coal capacity can easily dock at the jetty, requiring only 1-2 days for coal unloading. A 14.3 km long and 300m wide channel has been excavated to accommodate mother vessels at the power plant’s jetty. Measures such as sedimentation mitigation dikes have been implemented to ensure navigability without the need for yearly dredging.
The power plant has been constructed to withstand cyclones and tides, with a dam 14 meters above sea level and infrastructure inside the dam with a height of 10 meters. The second unit, also with a 600 MW capacity, is expected to begin commercial production six months after the inauguration of the first unit.
The project is a multi-purpose initiative supported by a loan agreement between the Bangladesh government and the Japan International Development Agency (JICA). JICA will provide Tk. 43,921 crore as project support, with the remaining Tk. 7,933 crore coming from the own funds of the Bangladesh government and Coal Power Generation Company Bangladesh Limited (CPGCBL). The project includes the construction of an imported coal load-unload jetty, a power generation plant, townships, electrification of local areas, power transmission lines, and power plant connection roads.
