CPGCBL begins construction of 1.2 GW Matarbari power plant in Bangladesh

State-owned Coal Power Generation Company Bangladesh Limited (CPGCBL) has commenced construction of the 1.2 GW Matarbari power plant in Cox’s Bazar district, Bangladesh. The ultra supercritical coal-fired power plant comprises two units of 600 MW each and will consume 3.73 million tonnes of coal annually. The project entails an estimated cost of $4.33 billion, of which 85 per cent ($3.7 billion) will be provided by the Japan International Cooperation Agency and the remaining by the Government of Bangladesh. The plant is slated to begin its commercial operations by 2024 and is expected to account for 10 per cent of the country’s total power generation capacity.