Recently, the European "Modern Diplomacy" website (ModernDiplomacy.Eu) published an article entitled "China contributes to the realization of full power coverage in Bangladesh", which introduced the key projects along the "Belt and Road", and the largest power station project in Bangladesh, "Payala 2× 660 MW Ultra-Supercritical Coal-fired Power Station", which was built by Chinese enterprises, was recently completed, relying on the core technology and equipment provided by Chinese enterprises, Bangladesh thus became the first South Asian country to electrify the whole country. It has entered a new era of full power coverage.
In addition to greatly alleviating the tight power supply situation, the article details the long-term impact of "stimulating local economic development" and "attracting external investment" after the official commissioning of the power station, and mentions that there are also "Belt and Road" projects that will also make a significant contribution to Bangladesh's economic growth, including the "Padma Bridge Railway Link Project", which are scheduled to be completed this year.
Bangladesh is the world's eighth most populous country with a total population of 164.7 million, making it one of the most densely populated countries in the world, generating 512 kWh of electricity per capita (both self-contained and renewable).
With the steady and rapid development of the economy, Bangladesh's per capita electricity consumption has also continued to grow, averaging 9.18% in the past decade, but its energy consumption level, especially per capita consumption, still lags far behind other countries in South Asia. Previously, 3% of the total population of Bangladesh still had no access to electricity. Insufficient power supply has become one of the important bottlenecks restricting the country's economic development.
With the completion of the "Payala 2×660 MW ultra-supercritical coal-fired power plant" at the end of March this year, this dilemma facing Bangladesh will be effectively alleviated.
According to the article, the Payala coal-fired power station is located in Boduakali County in southern Bangladesh and is a key project along the "Belt and Road", and the owner is the Mengzhong Power Company, which is a joint venture established by China Machinery Import and Export (Group) Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of China General Technology Group, and Bangladesh Northwest Power Company, each accounting for 50% of the shares.
According to an earlier report by Xinhua News Agency, the core technology and equipment of the project were provided by Chinese enterprises and construction began in October 2016. In May 2020, Unit 1 of the project obtained the bangladesh government commercial operation license certificate and put into operation.
When Attending the inauguration ceremony a few days ago, Bangladeshi Prime Minister Hasina thanked China for its help in the construction of the power station, saying that the Payala coal-fired power station is the largest power station project in Bangladesh so far, which can provide about 8.58 billion kWh of electricity to the country every year after it is officially put into full operation, which can realize the power supply of every household, making the country the first country in South Asia to achieve full power coverage, and the early completion of the project has saved the country 100 million US dollars.
Nasrul Hamid, Minister of Electricity, Energy and Mineral Resources of Bangladesh, specifically mentioned the Payala coal-fired power station as the third in Asia and the twelfth in the world to use ultra-supercritical technology, and the country has never carried out such a large-scale cutting-edge project in the past 50 years. The move also put Bangladesh ahead of India and Pakistan, which have a national grid coverage of 98% and 74% respectively.
Nasrull Hamid also revealed that based on the power station to ensure full power coverage, the government plans to build a special economic zone and airport to realize its dream of becoming a developing country, attracting external investment in Payala, and building Kukata ( asia's only beach with sunrise and sunset views ) into a world-class ecotourism center within 20 years.
In addition, the government plans to develop the port of Payala into one of Bangladesh's main economic corridors by establishing direct roads and railways connecting the capital Dhaka and other regions to Bhutan, China, India and Sri Lanka.
The article said that the port of Payala has the potential to become an important port, especially the completion of the power station, but also to inject unlimited impetus into its becoming an important transit station and global trade center on the Maritime Silk Road, and the authorities expect that the full operation of the port may bring 2% growth to domestic GDP.
At present, the installed capacity of the power station undertaken by Chinese enterprises accounts for about 60% of the total installed capacity of the completed and under construction in Bangladesh, in addition to the completed Payala coal-fired power station, there is also the "Bakuria Coal-fired Power Plant Phase II Expansion Project" and so on are under intensive construction.
The promotion of the "Belt and Road" construction is helping Bangladesh realize the dream of self-sufficiency in electricity and light up the lights of Bangladesh. Bangladesh actively responded to the Belt and Road Mutual Benefit Strategy in 2016 and is the first country in South Asia to sign a Belt and Road Cooperation Agreement with the Chinese government.
In addition to power construction, the Padma Bridge railway link project, the Kanapuri River Bottom Tunnel Project, the Single Mooring Project and the Dashel Gandhi Sewage Treatment Plant will be completed this year, which believes that these projects are expected to make a significant contribution to Bangladesh's economic growth and strongly support Bangladesh's graduation from the United Nations list of "least developed countries".