The 1.320GW ultra-supercritical coal-fired power plant in Patuakhali, Bangladesh. （PHOTO: XINHUA）

By TANG Zhexiao

With the inauguration of the China-funded 1.32 GW ultra-supercritical coal-fired power plant at Payra, Bangladesh has achieved its target of full electricity coverage in the country.

    More than 100 officials of the Bangladeshi government attended the inauguration ceremony on March 22. Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina thanked the Chinese Embassy in Bangladesh for its support and assistance, saying that the China- Bangladesh joint venture project was a big achievement, and the electricity will be carried to every corner of the country to accelerate rural development.

    Chinese Ambassador Li Jiming, said China and Bangladesh have been jointly building the plant since October 2016, based on the principle of equality and cooperation, and its Unit-1 began operation in 2020. The plant will boost industrial development in Bangladesh, while also making contributions to environmental protection and the well-being of the local people.

    Located in the south Bangladesh's Patuakhali  district  and  supported  by China's core technology and equipment, the plant is one of key projects of the Belt and Road Initiative.

    As the first and largest power plant using ultra-supercritical technology, the plant is co-developed, co-invested and co-constructed by the China National Machinery Import and Export Co.and Bangladesh's North -West Power Generation Co. Ltd, with a total investment of about 2.2 billion USD. It is also Bangladesh's first PPP (public–private–partnership) project funded by China.

    Officials said the plant will provide Bangladesh with about 8.58 billion kWh of electricity every year once fully operational, which will play an important role in improving the country's power structure and supply.

    Compared with a conventional coal-fired power plant, an ultra-supercritical power plant requires less coal to achieve higher thermal efficiency and lower emissions, including carbon dioxide.

    With this project, Bangladesh has become the 13th country in the world and seventh in South Asia to use the environmentally -friendly, ultra-supercritical technology in producing power.