The Matarbari coal-fired power plant in Cox's Bazar has resumed operations after being closed for a month due to a coal shortage.
The power plant resumed operation on Saturday afternoon with the first unit supplying electricity to the national grid, reports The Business Standard.
According to Prothom Alo's report, the first unit of the plant produced 180MW by 7:00pm on Saturday.
The suspension began on October 31 when the plant ran out of coal. To prevent further disruptions, Coal Power Generation Company Bangladesh Limited (CPGCBL) decided to import 35 lakh tonnes of coal over the next year.
Last Wednesday, an Indonesian-flagged ship carrying 70,000 tonnes of coal docked at the plant's jetty, enabling operations to resume.
Another shipment of 66,000 tonnes of coal is expected to arrive at the plant today (Sunday), officials said.
The Matarbari coal-fired power plant, built on 1,600 acres of land along the Bay of Bengal, has a capacity of 1,200 MW. The first unit began commercial production in December 2022, followed by the second unit in August 2023.
However, coal shortages and technical issues have disrupted operations multiple times.
In October, the first unit's production halted due to a coal shortage, with the second unit following suit on October 31. Earlier, a mechanical failure caused a two-week production suspension in July.
Bd-pratidin English/Fariha Nowshin Chinika
