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Mar 95 min read

Ashuganj 400 MW (APSCL) DFG Power Plant (East)

Current Status: Construction

Source:  (GT, 2022)


Ashuganj 400 MW Gas Power Plant (East), also known as Ashuganj East Thermal Power Plant, is a Combined Cycle (CC) power plant situated within Ashuganj Power Station Complex in Sonaram under Ashuganj Upazila in Brahmanbaria District of Bangladesh (Coordinates: 24.0432, 91.0149). It is sponsored by Ashuganj Power Station Company Limited (APSCL), a State-owned Enterprise (SOE) under Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB), as a publicly owned Independent Power Producer (IPP) for 25 years. The sponsor declared its Commercial Operation Date (COD) on 23 June 2022 and, according to schedule, it is to retire on 22 June 2047.


Capacity

The installed (gross) and derated (net) capacity of the power plant is 420 MW and 400 MW respectively.


Context

Ashuganj Power Station Co Ltd (APSCL) functions as a power firm engaged in the production and distribution of power and electricity. The company generates electric power utilizing thermal power plants and combined cycle power plants. Its operations encompass seven generating units, comprising five steam turbine units, one gas engine, and one gas turbine.


Additionally, APSCL employs natural gas as a resource for power generation. Among its notable projects is the Ashuganj 400 MW CCPP (East) Project (PT, 2023). The Power Plant Project complex is situated on the southern bank of the Meghna River, positioned right beyond and to the east of Bhairab Bridge. The power plant is situated within Ashuganj Upazila (ADB, 2019). According to a representative from APSCL, the 400MW combined cycle power plant is designed to operate using gas. The project received approval in November 2015, and its power generation capacity is 420 MW (BP, 2019). As per the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) finalized on March 20, 2018, the Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) contract was also signed in the same month, with construction commencing in July of the previous year. Originally, the mandated Commercial Operation Dates (COD) for the power plant were set for December 31, 2020, for the Gas Turbine unit and June 29, 2021, for the Steam Turbine unit. However, these dates have been revised, and the new CODs are now scheduled for June 30, 2022, and September 30, 2022, respectively (BPDB 2022).


Land Acquisition

Situated on the southern bank of the Meghna River, adjacent to the eastern side of Bhairab Bridge, the Ashuganj 400 MW (East) Combined Cycle Power Plant Project complex is located in Ashuganj Upazila. Encompassing an area of approximately 4.50 acres, the entire power plant is enclosed and is the property of the Ashuganj Power Station Company Limited (APSCL)  (ADB, 2019).


Finance

According to the latest financial data available from the Asian Development Bank, as of June 30, 2020, the construction expenditure for the Ashuganj East power station reached nearly 80 billion Bangladeshi Taka, equivalent to approximately USD $927 million. Within this total, the government of Bangladesh extended approximately USD $37 million in loans, the Asian Development Bank provided about USD $581 million in loans, the Islamic Development Bank contributed around USD $226 million in loans, and Ashuganj Power Station Co. Ltd. supplied USD $46 million in equity (GT, 2022).


Sponsors

The power plant is sponsored by the Ashuganj Power Station Company Limited (APSCL), which operates as a State-owned Enterprise (SOE) under the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) (BPDB 2022).


Contractors

China National Corporation For Overseas Economic Cooperation and China National Technical Import & Export have been appointed to manage the engineering, procurement, and construction aspects of a gas-fired power project. Siemens Energy has been chosen as the turbine supplier and will provide an SGT5-4000F gas turbine and an SST5-3000 steam turbine. Moreover, Siemens Energy has contributed an SGen5-2000H electric generator for the project, highlighting the incorporation of advanced technology to enhance the efficiency of power generation (PT, 2023).


Fuel Supply

The power plant relies on Domestic Fossil Gas (DFG) as its primary fuel source, with a demand of 75 million cubic feet per day (mmscfd) and an annual requirement of 27.38 billion cubic feet (bcf) of DFG (ADB 2016). The procurement of this fuel is carried out through Bakhrabad Gas Distribution Company Limited  (PT, 2023).


Power Generation

The Power Station will establish connectivity with the Ashuganj 400 KV Gas Insulated Switchgear (GIS) Grid Sub-Station, equipped with essential electrical components. The fundamental design of the Ashuganj 400 MW CCPP (East) project revolves around a Combined Cycle Gas Turbine (CCGT) Plant featuring a single Gas Turbine Generator unit (GTG), an Unfired Heat Recovery Steam Generator, and a Steam Turbine Generator unit (STG). The water-steam cycle will incorporate three pressure levels with reheat (ADB, 2019).


Environment

Adroit Environment Consultants Ltd. (AECL) has prepared the EIA report for the project. According to the EIA report, there may be a slight temperature fluctuation which can significantly impact the breeding, fecundity, and life cycle of aquatic organisms. Temperature variations between intake and outfall water may lead to substantial changes in the ecological community in the area.The survey revealed the absence of any IUCN-declared endangered species in the project area. Since no agricultural land is present within the project site, no specific mitigation measures are proposed in this regard. During the construction phase, there may be a temporary deterioration in air quality in the project area. 

There are no tube wells within 100 meters of the project area, and the discharge of wastewater from septic tanks will not affect the tube wells of the Ashuganj Upazilla. The power plant uses 36,000 cubic meters (35,352 tonnes) of water per hour from the Meghna River which means it uses 848,448 tonnes of water per day and 309.68 million tonnes per year (ADB 2016).

The project's location on APSCL's own land within their boundary eliminates the need for homestead relocation. The proposed 400 MW Combined Cycle Power Plant (CCPP) will be situated on the flat and vacant space created after demolishing the existing structures of GT-1, GT-2, ST, and the Fuel Tank. No homestead land falls within the proposed project site. The project site has already obtained site clearance from the Department of Environment (DoE), and there are no cultural, historical, or aesthetic interests or losses associated with the project land (APSCL, 2016). 


References


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