Current Status: Permitting
Representational Picture: (MnM)
Pabna 60 MW Solar Power Plant, also known as Pabna Solar Park or Sujanagar Solar Park, is a solar Photovoltaic (PV) power plant to be situated in Sagarkandi Union under Sujanagar Upazila in Pabna District of Bangladesh (Location: 23.8413, 89.6037). The power plant is proposed by Bangladesh-China Renewable Energy Company Private Limited (BCRECL), which is a joint venture special purpose vehicle (SPV) under equal ownership of North-West Power Generation Company Limited (NWPGCL) and China National Machinery Import & Export Corporation (CMC). The power plant is at the preliminary work stage, with an expected Commercial Operation Date (COD) in June. 2025 and the power plant will retire in June 2045.
Capacity
The proposed installed (gross) and derated (net) capacity of Pabna Solar Power Plant is 64.55 MW and 60 MW, respectively.
Context
The Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase (CCGP) approved procurement of electricity from renewable energy-based five power plants on 8 December 2021 (FE 2021). Pabna 60 MW Solar Power plant is one of them. It is anticipated that the project will undergo a singular phase of development, with construction likely to start in 2023 and the projected commercial operation to commence in June, 2025 (PT,2023). Subsequently, BPDB issued a Letter of Intent (LOI) as a preliminary commitment to commission the power plant in 2022 (BPDB 2022). After getting the LOI, BCRECL submitted the security deposit on 24 April 2022 (BPDB 2022).
A contract signed on June 29, 2022, at the North-West Power Generation Company Limited (NWPGCL)among Bangladesh-China Renewable Energy Company (Pvt.) Limited, a joint venture involving NWPGCL from Bangladesh and CMC from China, along with the Consortium of Pareosian (Asia Pacific) International Co., Ltd. for the Engineering, Procurement, Construction, and Commissioning of the Pabna 60 MW Solar Park Project. Additionally, a contract was signed between PowerChina Fujian Electric Power Engineering Co. Ltd. and Sinohydro Corporation Limited, both based in China (NWPGC,2022). According to North West Power Generation Company the commercial production date is December 2024,
Land Acquisition
The total area of the power plant has not been distinguished yet.
Finance
The estimated budget of the power plant is BDT 1,689 crore (USD 198.71 million). Either share of equity and debt or any name of a possible External Credit Agency (ECA) is yet to be disclosed.
Sponsor
Bangladesh-China Renewable Energy Company Private Limited (BCRECL) is the sponsor of the power plant which operates within the framework of Bangladesh-China Power Company (Pvt.) Limited (BCPCL), a collaboration between North-West Power Generation Company Limited of Bangladesh and China National Machinery Import and Export Corporation.
Contractors
The implementation of this power plant has been entrusted to North-West Power Generation Company Limited (NWPGCL). The company has taken the initiative to install a 60-megawatt solar power plant as part of the government's plan to reach a target of generating 10 percent of its power from renewable resources by 2020 in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (DS,2019).
Power Generation
According to the LOI, the expected COD of the power plant is scheduled for June 2025. The power generated from the project will be sold to Bangladesh Power Development Board under a power purchase agreement. The power will be sold at the rate of USD$ $0.097kWh for a period of 20 years.
Environment
According to Section 12 of the Bangladesh Environment Protection Act 1995, Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is obligatory for any industry (MOLJPA 1995). Polluting industries, such as power plants, must undergo an Initial Environmental Examination (IEE) and EIA as directed in the Environmental Conservation Rules 2017 (MOEFCC 1997). This power plant is implemented on 205 acres khas land that won't pollute the environment as much as the other power plant carbon emission will be very low and there is no possibility to harm the surrounding environment. According to the environmental conservation rule 2023 the project falls in the “Orange” indicating it as a moderate harmful project for the environment (MOEFCC 2023).
Reference
BPDB 2022. Power Sector Progress Report. Bangladesh Power Development Board: 15 June 2022
DS 2019. Land dispute threatens solar plant. The Daily Star. 08 December,2019.
FE 2021. "Names of Bangladeshis to be revealed to the High Court: Minister Kamal." The Financial Express (FE): 9 December 2021
MOEFCC (1997). ‘The Environmental Conservation Rules. Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MOEFCC)’: 27 August 1997
MOEFCC (2023). “The Environmental Conservation Rules”. Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MOEFCC): 5 March 2023
MOLJPA (1995). ‘Bangladesh Environment Conservation Act 1995’. Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Division, Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs (MOLJPA): 16 February 1995
NWPGC 2022. পাবনা ৬০ মেগাওয়াট সোলার পার্ক প্রকল্পের ইপিসি চুক্তি স্বাক্ষর. North West Power Generation Company. 30 June,2022.
PT 2023. Power plant profile: Pabna Solar PV Park, Bangladesh. Power Technology. 14 November,2023.
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