Dhaka: The Matarbari Ultra Super Critical Coal Fired Power Plant is set to resume electricity generation with a capacity of 1200 MW starting this Friday. This development follows the successful importation of coal necessary for power production, as confirmed by an official involved in the process. According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, A J M Ershad Ahsan Habib, the Director General (Addl Charge) of Power Cell, announced that coal supply has been secured to maintain the plant's operations. Currently undergoing maintenance, the power plant is scheduled to become operational later this week. Habib emphasized that the coal supply issues have been resolved, with coal shipments arriving weekly. Each of the plant's two 600 MW units requires 5000 metric tons of coal daily. Habib further noted that the unloading process for coal from the mother vessel has been expedited to 2-3 days, down from the previous 10-15 days. He also mentioned that the country's power generation stood at 10,000 MW yesterday, attributed to the decreasing electricity demand during the winter season. The power plant, featuring two units with a combined capacity of 1,200 MW, was previously shut down on October 31 due to a coal shortage. Recently, a ship from Indonesia delivered 70,000 metric tons of coal, followed by another ship carrying 60,000 metric tons, ensuring a steady supply for the plant. Manowar Hossain Majumdar, Supervising Engineer (Transportation) at the Matarbari Site Office of Coal Power Generation Company Bangladesh Limited, informed journalists of a coal import agreement. Meghna Group and Birla have committed to importing 3.5 million metric tons of coal annually for the power plant. Habib concluded by reiterating that the current electricity demand is lower due to the onset of the winter season.
