Asia Energy is planning an open pit coal mine at its Phulbari Coal Project in northwest Bangladesh and has proposed to the Government to install 1000 MW of power generating capacity at the mine mouth. This power plant will use Phulbari coal and will be commissioned in two 500MW stages. To maximise the benefit for Bangladesh and to ensure coal fuel supply for the life of the power plant(s), the challenge is to have implementation of the power plants within the first ten years of Phulbari coal production. The good news for Bangladesh is steps are now being taken to pave the way for up to 2000MW to be installed in this period.
The Phulbari coal basin covers an area some 8 km by 3 km. In the mining area the combined thickness of the two major economic coal seams varies between 15 and 70 metres at a depth (to top of seams) of some 150 to 250 metres beneath the surface. The coal will be mined progressively from the north to the south over a 30 year plus period and as the pit progresses it will be backfilled and rehabilitated. Washing, processing, stockpiling and loading onto rail will all take place within the mine perimeters. The Phulbari Power Project will also be located within the Phulbari Coal Project area so as to maximise the synergy between the two projects.
After washing and processing, mine production will yield an average of 15 Mtpa of saleable products. The product split is basically low ash thermal coal, low ash metallurgical coal and thermal coal more suited to Bangladesh's domestic markets including brick kilns and power stations. By international standards, the outstanding features of Phulbari coal are its high energy, low ash, environmentally acceptable levels of sulphur and trace elements, and its efficient combustion characteristics.
Each installed stage of the Phulbari mine mouth power plant will consist of a single boiler and turbine and have a net electrical output of 500 MW. Asia Energy intends to establish a special purpose vehicle company in Bangladesh (the Company).
Through the Development Partner, an internationally renowned engineering consultant/contractor will be engaged to carry out the plant engineering design and to sub-contract by international competitive tender the supply and construction of the major equipment elements of the Project, which will be specified to meet international norms for efficiency and performance. The Company will also engage an experienced international consultant to carry out an EIA to ensure that the plant will meet or exceed all relevant national and international standards.
Phulbari Power Project 500MW Units – Key Operating Statistics
|
Net Plant Output |
MW |
500 |
|
Auxiliary Load |
MW |
55 |
|
Plant Heat Rate |
kJ/kWh |
10,103 |
|
Coal Consumption |
Tonnes per annum |
1,500,000 |
|
Annual Electrical Output |
GWh |
3,700 |
|
Dry Limestone Required |
Tonnes per annum |
2,500 |
|
Gypsum Material Produced |
Tonnes per annum |
4,900 |
|
Wet Ash Produced |
Tonnes per annum |
349,000 |
|
Raw Water Required |
Tonnes per annum |
14,300,000 |
|
|
|
|
Although not yet established in Bangladesh, power generation from coal is a globally mature technology. Almost 40% of the world’s electricity is generated from coal. When comparing power generation from coal and gas, the higher per Megawatt (MW) capital cost of coal plants and their generally slower speed of response to different power off-take levels means that coal plants are suited to ‘base load’ operation at a relatively constant level over a large part of the year. Coal fired power plants often achieve higher levels of availability and reliability than gas turbine based power plants.
The Company will select an Engineering and Procurement contractor. Their responsibility will be plant design, technical due diligence and managing the process of tendering of specific major equipment supply and construction contracts. These contracts will be tendered nationally and internationally.
The proposed power plant will include modern environmental systems to remove or reduce levels of emissions to below national and other relevant international standards. These will include modern burner technology to reduce production of oxides of nitrogen, flue gas desulphurisation, and particle filtration in the form of a fabric bag filter system.
Based on the current design coal specification, each 500MW power plant will produce approximately 349,000 tonnes per year (tpy) of ash and 4,900 tpy of FGD material (such as gypsum), which may be sold into the cement or building materials market, or disposed of within the Phulbari Coal Project reclamation works.
Current background air quality readings indicate high atmospheric dust levels during the dry season and elevated annual mean levels, indicating that the air-shed can be classified as one having moderate air quality according to World Bank guidelines.
Summary of Emission Limits Assumed
|
Pollutant |
Stack Emission Limit (mg/Nm3, 6% O2, dry) |
|
Sulphur Dioxide |
2,000 |
|
Nitrogen Oxides (as NO2) |
600 |
|
Dust |
50 |
As the Phulbari Power Project will be located within the mine area, much of the environmental impact assessment (EIA) work done for the Phulbari Coal Project is relevant to the Phulbari Power Project EIA. In fact, air quality monitoring sites and weather stations were established also for the future power station EIA.
Outside the boundaries of the Phulbari Coal Project, a new way-leave will be required to allow the construction of a transmission line to connect the power plant to the transmission grid so not only the northwest but the rest of Bangladesh will benefit. It is proposed that this line will follow the route of the roads being that will be constructed around the new Phulbari Township, minimising impacts on local communities.
Noise emissions will be limited to 70 dBA at the site boundary.
Coal will be supplied to the Phulbari Power Project directly by conveyor from the Phulbari Coal Project product storage area. The proximity of the significant coal storage facilities within the mine infrastructure area to the power plant means that the power plant does not need to maintain separate large coal stocks. The coal to be supplied to the power plant will be a medium ash domestic thermal grade of bituminous coal with typical and range properties as follows:
Design Coal Key Properties
|
Heating Value |
MJ/tonne (HHV) ad |
26.2 |
|
Moisture |
% ar |
8.5 |
|
Ash |
% ad |
19.0 |
|
Sulphur |
% ad |
0.9 |
The coal will be washed in the Phulbari Coal Project washing plant resulting in a good quality coal for power generation purposes. The coal will be supplied under a Fuel Supply Agreement (FSA) with a term at least as long as that of the power plant, i.e. 25 years. At a plant capacity utilisation factor of 84.6%, the plant will consume 1.55 Million tonnes/year of coal at design specification. The coal being delivered to the power plant will be sampled regularly for the purposes of establishing the average heating value or calorific value which will be used as the basis for payment for the coal.
Asia Energy proposes to situate the power plant on a site encompassing 50 ha located alongside the proposed new rail loop immediately adjacent to the Phulbari Coal Project infrastructure area.
The site will be acquired by Asia Energy as part of the Phulbari Coal Project land acquisition and leasing programme. Mine overburden will be used to level the site and raise it to an elevation of 34 metres above MSL. The Phulbari Power Project assumes that the site will be provided clear and level by the Phulbari Coal Project under the terms of a site lease agreement of over a 30 year term. This arrangement is the most cost efficient as the land to be acquired and the site fill will represent only a small part of that being carried out by Asia Energy for the Phulbari Coal Project execution.
The site will have access by road from two directions and provision will be made for transportation to and from the site by rail for the delivery of the plant and equipment during the construction phase and for delivery of limestone, and liquid fuel for plant operations. A railway coal unloading facility will be allowed for in the site planning, but it is not expected to be installed.
Groundwater studies carried out for the Phulbari Coal Project indicate sufficient water will be available for the Phulbari Power Project from the mine dewatering programme.
Project lay-down during construction can be managed within a seven ha space within the plant site area. Additional space of five ha will be required in the vicinity of Phulbari town for accommodating the plant O & M staff. This will be completed in time to allow its use for the construction management and commissioning staff.
It is expected some 1,200 will be employed during the construction of each 500MW stage.
Once the approval of the Phulbari Coal Project Scheme of Development is received, Project financing, land acquisition and leasing, establishment of initial new villages and houses, site construction works, and delivery of mining equipment is expected to take eighteen month. It will take approximately another eighteen months to reach coal. On this schedule it is anticipated the first stage 500MW power plant will be in commissioned one year later, ie; by the end of Phulbari Coal Project year four.
Phulbari coal will POWER the NORTHWEST and REST of Bangladesh but mine development and power plant construction takes time. Decisions must be made and implementation of these important projects commence without delay so the people of Bangladesh can obtain maximum benefit from the Phulbari coal resource.
Gary Lye, CEO, Asia Energy Corporation (Pty) Bangladesh Ltd |
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