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Gowainghat 5 MW (Sun Solar) Solar Power Plant

  • 2 days ago
  • 3 min read

Current Status: Construction

Source: (Bangla Tribune)


Gowainghat 5 MW Solar Power Plant, is a solar power plant situated in Gowainghat Upazila in Sylhet District of Bangladesh (Location: 25.0360, 92.0718). It is sponsored by Japanese company Eiki Shoji Company Limited and Sun Solar Power Limited as an Independent Power Producer (IPP) for 20 years. The sponsor declared its Commercial Operation Date (COD) on 30 December 2022, but delayed and expected to run in June 2025, as per schedule, the power plant will retire in June 2045.


Capacity

The power plant is designed to generate 5 megawatts (MW) of electricity  (BPDB, 2023).


Context

The approval for the Eiki Shoji and Sun Solar Limited's Gowainghat 5 MW Power Plant in Sylhet was granted in the year 2016 (BP, 2023). A formal  Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) was signed between Sun Solar Power Ltd, based in Dhaka, and Japan's Eiki Shoji Company  at the Power Division office in the city. According to the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) signed on 2 August 2018, the Commercial Operation Date (COD) of the power plant is scheduled as 30 December 2022 (BPDB 2022). The expected running time is scheduled for June 2025(BPDB, 2023). The tenure of this power plant is 20 years which means it will retire in June 2044 (BT, 2018). 


Land Acquisition

The power project site is 4 Km away from Sylhet PBS-2, 33/11kv sub-station under rural electrification board (REB)  (DS, 2018). Exactly how much land area is taken for this power plant is still unknown. 


Finance

The agreed tariff is set at US Cents 13.90 per kilowatt-hour, based on a contractual arrangement of "no electricity, no payment." (DS, 2018). But no information has been disclosed about the investment and other financial support. 

BPDB signed a Power Purchase Agreement with a joint venture between Japanese firm Eiki Shoji Company Ltd, holding 95.1% shares, and local firm Sun Solar Power Plant Ltd, holding 4.9% shares, to purchase 5 MW of solar power from a grid-tied PV plant in Gwainghat, Sylhet. BPDB committed to purchasing electricity for over 20 years at a tariff of US cents 13.90 per kWh on a no-electricity, no-payment basis. (DT, 2018)


Sponsors

Japanese company Eiki Shoji Company Limited and Sun Solar Power Limited are the two sponsors of this power plant (BPDB, 2023).  Eiki Trading Company Limited has a share of 95.10% where Sun Solar Limited has only 4.90% of share (EP, 2018). 


Contractors

An EPC contractor has been selected for this power plant but no data has been found regarding the contractor’s information (BPDB, 2023).


Fuel Supply

The power plant is a solar power plant which will run with the energy from sunlight.


Power Generation

The power plant will generate a power of 5 MW of capacity. 


Environment

According to Section 12 of the Bangladesh Environment Protection Act 1995, Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is obligatory for any industry (MOLJPA 1995). The polluting industries, such as power plants, have to go through an Initial Environmental Examination (IEE) and EIA as directed in the Environmental Conservation Rules 1997 (superseded by ECR 2023) (MOEFCC 1997). Ground-mounted solar panels offer several advantages compared to rooftop installations. Placed strategically on the ground to optimize sunlight exposure, these panels increase energy production. Their flexibility in positioning allows placement in open areas with minimal shading, providing more freedom to choose suitable sites. In addition to contributing to environmental conservation by generating clean, renewable energy and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, ground-mounted solar panels help conserve land resources by utilizing non-arable or unused spaces. Despite these benefits, it's crucial to recognize that installing these panels may lead to habitat disruption, land-use conflicts, and potential visual impacts. To address these challenges and maximize positive environmental impacts, careful planning and consideration of ecological factors are essential for ground-mounted solar projects. According to the environmental conservation rule 2023 the project falls in the “Yellow” indicating it as a slightly harmful project for the environment (MOEFCC 2023).


Reference


 
 
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