EGCB to construct 3 more solar power plants at Feni

The Electricity Generation Company of Bangladesh (EGCB) Ltd, a state-owned power generation entity, is set to build another three solar power plants with 300MW capacity at Sonagazi upazila in the Feni district of the country.

EGCB recently signed a Joint Venture Agreement (JVA) with Japanese business conglomerate Marubeni Corporation to develop a 100 MW solar power plant in that area.

The tariff of this 100MW solar power plant has already been approved by the Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase (CCGP).

As per CCGP approval, the state-owned Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) will buy per unit of electricity at US Cent 10.09 from the plant over the period of 20 years.

Sources said the construction of the solar power plant will start soon.

On the other hand, EGCB is also going to develop another 100MW solar power plant with Hero Future Energies Asia Pte. Ltd., a Singapore-based company, in the same area.

Tariff and joint venture-related activities of this project are ongoing at this moment.

EGCB is also in discussion with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for arranging concessional finance to build another 100 MW solar power plant at Sonagazi.

Apart from this, EGCB is currently constructing75 MW Solar PV Power Plant in that area, which is at the final stage. The 75 MW Solar Power plant of EGCB will start supplying electricity to the national grid very soon.

Talking to BSS, Managing Director of EGCB Major General (Retd) Moin Uddin said EGCB has planned to diversify its generation portfolio enhancing its renewable energy generation capacity and contributing to achieving various renewable energy targets of government.

Renewable Energy projects will help meet the growing demand for electricity, as well as contribute further to developing the economy of the country, he said.

Moin Uddin said EGCB has acquired a large area of around1000 acres of land for the development of Solar power plants at Sonagazi Upazila, adjacent (eastern side) to the newly built Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) Musapur Closure (1.08 km length) over Feni River.

The acquired land is located 40 km south of Feni Sadar, 10 km south of Sonagazi Sadar and 10 km northwest of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Shilpa Nagar (BSMSN), Mirsarai.

In the first phase, the company is building a 75 MW Solar PV Power Plant using approximately 285 acres of land to feed power to the Power Grid Company of Bangladesh Ltd. (PGCB)'s 400/230 KV Grid Substation at Mirsarai Bangladesh Economic Zone Authority (BEZA) area on the southern side, Moin Uddin added.

He said that a 230 kV 13.3 km Transmission Line up to the Grid Substation and a 33/230 kV AIS Substation at the Plant area are being constructed under the project.

"EGCB has also planned to build more PV plants on the remaining land. EGCB is also in the process of acquiring 386 acres of land in the south adjacent to existing land to build further Solar PV plants. In future, it will be a Renewable Energy (RE) power hub," he added.

Managing Director of the Marubeni Asian Power Bangladesh Ltd Shigeru Nagashima said they are focusing on high-quality eco-friendly and sustainable infrastructure development in Bangladesh.

In line with this, he informed, they joined hands with EGCB to develop the 100 MW solar PV power plant.

/KN/