Due to a coal shortage, a unit of the Payra coal-based thermal power station was shut down on May 25, followed by a complete shutdown of the country’s largest power generation plant on June 5. The Rampal power plant is also operating at only half of its capacity due to the scarcity of coal. As a result, diesel-powered plants are being used, incurring a cost of Tk 20 per unit and resulting in daily losses of approximately Tk 60 crore.
The prices of coal have decreased, with the price of 5,000-kilocalorie coal currently at $76.65 per ton. The Power Development Board (PDB) officials estimate that two units of electricity can be produced per kg of 5,000-kilocalorie coal, resulting in a production cost of Tk 7 per unit. In comparison, diesel-powered plants cost around Tk 27 per unit, making them four times more expensive than coal-fired plants.
The capacity of the Payra power plant is 1,244 megawatts, and if operated at full capacity, it can produce 2,985,600 units (kilowatt hours) of electricity per day. Thus, if diesel-powered plants were used to meet the demand, it would result in daily losses of Tk 59,712,000. The Power Development Board suggests reducing coal dependency in the long term and focusing on renewable energy sources like solar power, which has become more affordable globally. Additionally, proper calculation of capacity charges and promoting competition in the sector are necessary measures.
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