Current Status: Retired
Source: The Asian Age
Ashuganj 150 MW Gas Power Plant (Unit 4), also known as the United Ashuganj Power Plant, is a power station located near Ashuganj Bazar in the Ashuganj Upazila of Brahmanbaria District, Bangladesh (Location: 24.0440, 91.0149). It is the fourth unit of the Ashuganj Power Station. The plant was commissioned in 1987. The plant is owned and operated by the Ashuganj Power Station Company Limited (APSCL). APSCL is a public limited company under the Ministry of Power, Energy, and Mineral Resources of Bangladesh. It is a reciprocating engine-based power plant. According to the sponsors, the Commercial Operation Date (COD) of the power plant is March 20, 1987. It was established with the financial help of IDA, KfW (German Government), Kuwait & OPEC fund, and ADB. The Ashuganj 150 MW Gas Power Plant (Unit 4) was scheduled to be replaced by a new 850 MW combined cycle gas turbine power plant. According to the plan, it was set to retire on 3 May 2012. However, the power plant was retired in 2022 after 25 years of operation.
Capacity
The Ashuganj 150 MW Gas Power Plant (Unit 4) has a net capacity of 137 MW and a gross capacity of 150 MW.
Context
The inception of the Ashuganj Thermal Power Plant dates back to 1966 when it commenced operations. A 311-acre plot of land was acquired northeast of the Meghna Railway Bridge to facilitate this venture. The construction of two units, Unit-1 and Unit-2, each boasting a power generation capacity of 128 MW, was initiated with financial support from the German government at the time. Subsequently, in 1968, the essential equipment was installed, leading to the commissioning of both units in April and July of 1970. Post the liberation struggle, the Ashuganj Power Station played a pivotal role in the post-conflict rehabilitation and economic advancement of Bangladesh. After gaining independence, Bangladesh faced economic instability, and there was a growing demand for power. In response to the escalating need for electricity, the Ashuganj Thermal Power Plant devised a comprehensive expansion plan. Through a thorough assessment of the feasibility of expanding the facility, a proposal was formulated to construct three units, each with a power generation capacity of 150 MW. The Ashuganj 150 MW Gas Power Plant (Unit 4) was one of a number of new 3 power plants that were built in Bangladesh during this time period (APSCL, 2023).
The establishment of the plant was part of Bangladesh's initiative to broaden its energy resources. Prior to this, the country heavily depended on imported oil for electricity generation. However, the oil price shocks in the 1970s underscored the necessity for Bangladesh to explore alternative energy sources. The design of the power plant aimed to utilize domestically produced natural gas as a more sustainable energy resource (BPDB, 2023).
It was also supported by the international community. The International Development Association (IDA), the German Government (KfW), the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED), and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) all provided financial assistance for the project (GEMW, 2023).
The power plant also played an important role in meeting Bangladesh's growing demand for electricity in the 1980s and 1990s. The plant also helped to diversify the country's energy sources and reduce its reliance on imported oil (PGDP, 2012).
Contractors
The equipment of the power plant was imported from different countries. Turbo – Generator part supplied and installed by BBC (now ABB) of Germany, boiler part manufactured by IHI Company of Japan and installed by Mitsui and Co. of Japan. Other major equipment was supplied and installed by BBC (Germany), IHI (Japan), KDC (Korea) and PCC (Korea). (APSCL, 2023).
Finance
The power plant was financed by a consortium of international donors, including the International Development Association (IDA), the German Government (KfW), the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED), and the Asian Development Bank (ADB).The financing for the Ashuganj 150 MW Gas Power Plant (Unit 4) marked a substantial investment in Bangladesh's energy sector. This facility has been instrumental in addressing the nation's increasing need for electricity and enhancing the diversity of its energy resources.
Fuel
The power plant uses Domestic Fossil Gas (DFG) as primary fuel and requires 29.60 million cubic feet per day (mmscfd) and 10.80 billion cubic feet (bcf) of DFG annually (ADB, 2016).
Water
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).
Environment
According to Section 12 of the Bangladesh Environment Protection Act 1995, Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is obligatory for any industry (MOLJPA, 1995). However, no EIA report was found for this power plant. According to their annual report, they claim that APSCL has built more efficient and environmentally friendly power plants to reduce energy demand and greenhouse gas emissions in Bangladesh. The company has achieved the "Green Era Award" and the "Best Project for Exemplary Environmental Safeguards" for its environmental practices in the Ashuganj 450 MW CCPP (North) project. APSCL also acclaimed to ensure health and occupational safety management and pollution prevention in line with ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and ISO 45001 requirements (APSCL, 2020-21). Gas engines on natural gas typically have 35-45% electrical efficiency, with the best products reaching 48% (Khandakar et al., 2012).
References
ADB 2016. Environmental Impact Assessment: Power System Expansion and Efficiency Improvement Investment Program (Tranche 3). Asian Development Bank (ADB): May 2016
APSCL (2023). “History & Activities”. Ashuganj Power Station Company Limited (APSCL): 10 November 2023.
APSCL (2020- 2021). Annual Report, 2020- 2021. Ashuganj Power Station Company Limited: 2020-2021.
BPDB (2023). “History of BPDB”. Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB): 10 November 2023.
GEMW (2023). “Background”. Global Energy Monitor Wiki (GEMW): 10 November 2023.
Khandker, T. I., Rahman, M. M., & Hossain, S. R. (2012). Ashuganj Power Station Company Limited (Doctoral dissertation, East West University).
MOLJPA (1995). Bangladesh Environment Conservation Act 1995. Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Division, Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs (MOLJPA): 16 February 1995.
PGDP (2012). “Background of Ashuganj Thermal Power Plant” Power Generation Development Plan-2012 (PGDP): 10 November. Source: The Asian Age