Payra thermal power plant is closing due to coal shortage

Payra thermal Power Plant facing closure for coal shortage

Patuakhali: A unit of Patuakhari's Payra thermal power plant has been shut down for five days due to coal shortage. The second unit will run till June 03 with the current coal reserves. Due to the dollar crisis, the power plant is being temporarily closed due to the inability to pay 390 billion dollars of coal.

It is known that the Payra 1320 MW thermal power plant started commercial operations in 2020 with the joint investment of China and Bangladesh. China National Machinery Import and Export Company (CMC) is providing loans to buy coal to run the plant. CMC stopped coal supply due to non-payment of 390 million in outstanding coal bills till April. In this, the power generation of a unit of 660 MW of the center was stopped. But the government is providing 100 million dollars. Even though the import of coal has started, it will take another 25 days for the coal to arrive. It will stop power generation from June 04. - Gofran Biswas Palash