The state-run 150 megawatt peaking power plant at Shikalbaha in Patiya upazila is going into production after formal inauguration by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on September 8.
Uncertainty, however, looms over running the plant as supply of gas to all gas-fired plants in Chittagong is being made keeping the Karnaphuli Fertiliser Company (Kafco) shut during the Ramadan.
One of the two units of the gas-fired 420MW capacity Rauzan Thermal Power Plant and 116MW Shikalbaha Plant and the two barge mounted units had remained almost shutdown since November last year due to insufficient gas supply.
So, restoration of gas supply to the Kafco after Ramadan would surely stand in the way of ensuring supply of 34 million cubic feet (mcf) gas for running the peaking power plant full time or 15 mcf gas for running in the peak hours.
Project Director Mohammad Asad Ullah Mian said they are now getting the required gas for running the plant on trial basis and hoped to run the plant until gas supply is stopped.
“After restoration of gas supply at the Kafco, generation at the plant will depend on the availability of gas,” he added.
Asked about setting up gas-fired plant amid acute gas crisis, the project director said tender for this gas-fired 150MW plant was floated on April 2007 when the crisis was not so acute. The contract was signed with a Chinese company in February 2008.
Tender for developing dual-fuel facilities at a cost of Tk 84 crore is already done and the work is expected to start in December or January, Asad Ullah said.
Chinese state-run company Sino Hydro Corporation was entrusted with setting up of the plant at a cost of Tk 575 crore. The construction was scheduled to complete in September 2009. But, construction and installation of equipment was completed by March 18 this year and testing of the equipment had started in April 20.
Chittagong PDB Chief Engineer (Generation) Mohammad Abu Taher said power generation at the 150MW plant will surely help, but everything will depend on the availability of gas.
Around 220MW to 280MW can be generated from the two units of the Rauzan Thermal Power Plant, after shutting down of the Kafco. But only 120MW can be generated from one unit of the plant when Kafco remains functional, Taher added.
Besides this, four units of Karnaphuli Hydro Power Station are generating on average 145MW to 170MW.