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Sonagazi 100 MW (EGCBL) Solar Power Plant (Phase 1)

  • 2 days ago
  • 3 min read

Current Status: Construction

Source: (Dhaka Tribune)


Sonagazi 100 MW (EGCBL) Solar Power Plant (Phase 1), also known as Sonagazi Solar PV Park 1 is a solar Photovoltaic (PV) power plant project. It is planned in Sonagazi upazila in Feni district under Chittagong division of Bangladesh  (Location: 22.7901, 91.3747). The power plant is proposed by the Electricity Generation Company of Bangladesh Limited (EGCBL), a State-owned Enterprise (SOE) under the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB).  The project is currently in the permitting stage and is planned to be developed in a single phase. Construction is anticipated to begin in 2022, with commercial operation expected in 2023. According to BPDB monthly progress report of April, 2024 the probable operation of the power plant will start from 2027. Now Discussion going for

financing (BPDB 2024).


Capacity

The installed capacity (gross) and derated (net) capacity of the power plant is 100 MW.


Context

The power plant is proposed by the Electricity Generation Company of Bangladesh Limited (EGCBL), a State-owned Enterprise (SOE) under the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB)  (FE, 2021).Three solar power plants with a total capacity of 300 MW are planned to be built by EGCB in Sonagazi upazila, which is situated in Feni district (EP, 2024). 

 

On 20 May 2021, EGCBL and Marubeni Corporation signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to install the power plant (BP, 2021). Marubeni Corp is a diversified trading and investment company, engaged in various sectors including marine products, chemicals, energy, metals, machinery, textiles, and more (PT, 2021). 

The Sonagazi Solar PV Park 1 is a ground-mounted solar project (PT, 2021) jointly owned by the Electricity Generation Company of Bangladesh and Marubeni, with each holding a 50% stake in the project (BP, 2021). The anticipated project cost is approximately $115.93 million. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2022, with commercial operation expected to commence by 2023  (PT, 2021). But according to the latest reports of BPDB the operational will start from 2027. 


Land Acquisition

The Managing Director of EGCB, announced that the Sonagazi 100 MW (EGCBL) Solar Power Plant (Phase 1)  power plant, is slated for establishment on 350 acres of land (FE, 2021) within the Sonagazi Economic Zone area, EGCL has purchased around 1000 acres of land in Sonagazi on which 250 MW of solar and 20 MW of wind power facilities will be built (BP, 2021).


Finance

The anticipated project cost is approximately USD 115.93 million (PT, 2021). 


Sponsor

According to the memorandum of understanding (MoU), the Power Grid Corporation of Bangladesh (PGCB) and Marubeni will jointly establish the plant, with each holding a 50 percent equity share in the project  (FE, 2021).


Contractors

Trina Solar is set to provide engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) services for the Sonagazi Solar PV Park (Sonagazi Solar PV Park 1)  (PT, 2021). 


Fuel Supply

Light energy is converted to electrical energy by the solar panels' mono-crystal cells, which allow the power plant to produce power from sunlight (FT, 2018). 


Power Generation

Construction for the project is scheduled to begin in 2022, with commercial operations expected to commence in 2023. Within the project framework, a transmission line spanning 13 km with a voltage of 230 KV is set to be built (Barta24, 2023).


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 2017 (MOEFCC, 1997). But unfortunately, no Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report was found of this project. 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).


References

 
 
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