Dhaka seeks $5 bn foreign investment in power sector
December 13th, 2009 - 6:40 pm ICT by IANS
Dhaka, Dec 13 (IANS) Officials Sunday left for London to bid for $5 billion foreign investment in Bangladesh’s cash-strapped power sector. They will also visit Singapore and the US next month.
The move comes as Dhaka prepares to sign a pact for power purchase from India during the visit of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina likely next month.
The 11-member delegation headed by Towfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury, adviser to prime minister on energy, hopes to attract investment for nine power projects with a total production capacity of more than 3,200 megawatt plus a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal for import of gas.
The London show will be held on Tuesday-Wednesday and officials expect to draw more than 50 power companies and also financiers, industry-related contractors, LNG terminal manufacturers and at least 20 non-resident Bangladeshis, Star Online, web site of The Daily Star said Sunday.
Dhaka is seeking investors for four coal-fired 500 MW power plants in Meghnaghat, Zajira, Khulna and Chittagong where it intends to use supercritical pressure technology for plants to ensure least greenhouse emission while the financing will be done on the basis of private-public partnership.
The coal plants will need $3 billion investment.
Coal would be imported from Indonesia or Australia unless Bangladesh’s own coal fields can produce enough for these plants. Coal will be transported through the waterways.
Dhaka says its coal mines have been over-exploited.
A coal policy has been under consideration for long.
The team will also seek investors for two large combined cycle power plants with a capacity ranging between 300 MW and 450 MW for Bibiyana-2 and Meghnaghat-2 and a 150 MW plant in Bhola. The Bhola plant will use gas from a small gas field discovered in the nineties but left unutilised.
Considering the country’s ongoing and future gas crisis in a situation where a good number of gas-based power and industrial units have already been installed, the government plans to install an LNG terminal in the Bay of Bengal, preferably near the off-shore Sangu gas field system.
- Dhaka signs its biggest power deal - May 12, 2011
- Tamil Nadu to study LNG power project feasibility - Mar 29, 2012
- Gail, Tidco to set up a JV power plant in Tamil Nadu - May 11, 2012
- NTPC in talks with Bangladesh agency for power project land - Dec 22, 2010
- Tata mulling coal-based ventures in Bangladesh: Industry body - Dec 17, 2011
- India, Bangladesh ink investment pact, to jointly fight terror (Lead) - Jul 07, 2011
- Bangladesh to observe Earth Hour - Mar 29, 2012
- Bangladesh signs nuclear power deal with Russia - Feb 25, 2011
- Dhaka looks to Moscow for oil, gas exploration - Dec 28, 2010
- India, Bangladesh sign trade pact, pledge to fight terror - Jul 07, 2011
- Ansari to visit Bangladesh for Tagore commemorations - May 05, 2011
- Tripura welcomes investment from Bangladesh: Chief Minister - Jan 19, 2012
- Andhra gets Rs.5.57 lakh crore investment at Partnership Summit (Lead) - Jan 12, 2012
- GIL seeks land to set up captive thermal plant - Jul 25, 2011
- Andhra inks MoUs for Rs.6.5 lakh crore investment (Lead) - Jan 13, 2012
Tags: chittagong, coal fields, coal mines, coal plants, combined cycle power, combined cycle power plants, cycle power plants, gas crisis, gas lng, khulna, liquefied natural gas, london show, member delegation, mw plant, mw power, power projects, power sector, pressure technology, private public partnership, terminal manufacturers