NTPC signs Rs13,200 crore plant deal with Bangladesh
31 Aug 2010
State-run National Thermal Power Corporation, the country's biggest power producer, on Monday signed a memorandum of understanding with the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) to set up two thermal power projects with a total capacity of 1,320 mw each in the neighbouring country.
The outlay on the coal-fired power plants to be set up at Chittagong and Khulna is estimated at Rs13,200 crore. The plants are likely to be installed on a 50:50 equity basis.
The plants will use imported coal as fuel. NTPC will also train BPDB engineers and help improve efficiency of existing power stations.
The MoU was signed by BPDP chief engineer (generation) Mohammed Abdul Quasem and NTPC consultancy wing general manager A K Sharma in New Delhi, in the presence of Bangladesh's high commissioner Tariq A Karim, power secretary P Uma Shankar and NTPC Chairman R S Sharma.
Meanwhile, NTPC indicated that it is planning to pick up stake in two coal mines in Indonesia. ''We are looking at picking up stake in two coal mines in Indonesia - East Kalimanthan and Sumatra, Sharma told reporters after the MoU was signed.
On its Kerala project, Sharma said his company had offered Qatar Petroleum less than a 50 per cent stake in the Kayamkulam gas-based power station in the state. The present capacity of the Kayamkulam plant is 350 mw, which is envisaged to be expanded to 1,050 mw in the next two years and further increased to 1,800 mw at a later stage.