Payra plant going into operation

A 1,320-megawatt (MW) coal-based Payra Thermal Power Plant, set up on 12 acres of land in Kalapara upazila in Patuakhali, is set to go into operation from December. This means that 660 MW of electricity from the power plant will be added to the national grid within a few months. This is another milestone achievement of the government in tackling the power demand of the country and dealing with regular power shortages, which became a national nuisance five years ago. The work for the plant had occasional hiccups with unrest over the death of a local worker, but now, the completion date is near with an Indonesian coal laden ship unloading coal at the Payra jetty for the production of electricity.

The electricity generated from this plant will be added to the substation of Gopalganj. From there, it will be supplied to the national grid. Reportedly another 1,320-MW power plant will be built in the vicinity of this plant by 2022. All this creates an auspicious sign for the overall power sector of the country. While five years ago, Bangladesh was grappling with shortage of electricity, the country now is on her way to having surplus power.

The load shedding, which was common in major cities, is a nightmare of the past and Dhaka hardly experiences more than one hour outage in a period of one week. The continuous power supply is a boon for trade, commerce plus RMG industries that operate within the city and outside the economic zones. Also, life for residents has become comfortable. The government should replicate success at cities in rural areas so villages get round the hour power supply.

Since coal is being used at the Payra plant, the ecological dimension cannot be ignored either and efforts need to be made by the government for a green drive around the plants, encouraging locals to do their bit in sustaining nature. Payra plant and several others, which are being constructed, also create much needed jobs in rural areas, making power stations the heart of booming communities with trade, commerce and expanding business.

Payra should shed the unfortunate incidents of the past and look to the future and the role it will play in making Bangladesh self-sufficient in electricity.

 

Payra plant going into operation

A 1,320-megawatt (MW) coal-based Payra Thermal Power Plant, set up on 12 acres of land in Kalapara upazila in Patuakhali, is set to go into operation from December. This means that 660 MW of electricity from the power plant will be added to the national grid within a few months. This is another milestone achievement of the government in tackling the power demand of the country and dealing with regular power shortages, which became a national nuisance five years ago. The work for the plant had occasional hiccups with unrest over the death of a local worker, but now, the completion date is near with an Indonesian coal laden ship unloading coal at the Payra jetty for the production of electricity. The electricity generated from this plant will be added to the substation of Gopalganj. From there, it will be supplied to the national grid. Reportedly another 1,320-MW power plant will be built in the vicinity of this plant by 2022. All this creates an auspicious sign for the overall power sector of the country. While five years ago, Bangladesh was grappling with shortage of electricity, the country now is on her way to having surplus power. The load shedding, which was common in major cities, is a nightmare of the past and Dhaka hardly experiences more than one hour outage in a period of one week. The continuous power supply is a boon for trade, commerce plus RMG industries that operate within the city and outside the economic zones. Also, life for residents has become comfortable. The government should replicate success at cities in rural areas so villages get round the hour power supply. Since coal is being used at the Payra plant, the ecological dimension cannot be ignored either and efforts need to be made by the government for a green drive around the plants, encouraging locals to do their bit in sustaining nature. Payra plant and several others, which are being constructed, also create much needed jobs in rural areas, making power stations the heart of booming communities with trade, commerce and expanding business. Payra should shed the unfortunate incidents of the past and look to the future and the role it will play in making Bangladesh self-sufficient in electricity.