The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

The first unit of the newly installed 90-MW Fenchuganj (Sylhet) power plant is likely to commence initial commercial operation (ICO) next week to feed some drips to the power-hungry national grid, official sources said.

According to the sources, installation works for two of the plant's total three units, each having 35-MW capacity, have already been completed and test run of the 1st unit was done this week.

"We're now taking preparation to start commercial operation from next week," an official of the Power Development Board (PDB), which implemented the power-plant project, told UNB.

The commencement of initial commercial operation of the first unit will be seconded by the operation of the second within next 15 days, he added.

"We're planning to supply about 60-70 megawatts of power to the national grid from the plant with the start of holy Ramadan… all our preparation is going on in full swing keeping in mind the holy month," said the official.

In the wake of a nagging power crisis facing the entire country, the government moved to build the gas-fired Fenchuganj combined-cycle power plant few years back at a cost of about Tk 524 crore.

Chinese company Harbin Power Engineering (HPE) was appointed as turnkey contractor for the project.

But the works of the project got delayed for various reasons, including a dispute between the PDB and HPE over tax payment. Still, the dispute remained unresolved.

The Fenchuganj power plant project officials said that they had successfully completed the test run of the first unit's gas turbine and generator of the plant.

They also noted that the installation of the 3rd unit, which is a combined-cycle machine, would be completed by December.