Uncertainty looms large over the timely execution of transmission projects to facilitate electricity evacuation from the proposed 1,320-megawatt (MW) Payra coal-fired power plant.
According to sources at the Bangladesh-China Power Company Limited (BCPCL), the projects, taken by the government for creating required transmission facilities, are still running far behind the schedule, which may ultimately impede the power evacuation from the Payra plant.
Bangladesh and China are jointly implementing the Payra power plant project in Patuakhali, the largest-ever coal-fired plant having two units with the capacity of 660 MW each.
The BCPCL has set a target to start commercial operation of the first unit of the plant in December this year and the second unit in June or July next year.
"We've already signed a contract to import coal from Indonesia and all the necessary arrangements are being made targeting December as a schedule for starting the commercial operation of the first unit," said a project official.
