Bangladesh scraps 10 coal-fired power plants

• 2 years ago (2021-06-28)
• David Flin

Asia 847 Coal 274

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Bangladesh has announced that it has scrapped 10 major coal-fired power plants as it seeks to increase its power generation from renewable energy sources. Nasrul Hamid, the Minister for Power and Energy for Bangladesh, said that the decision was taken in the light of technological changes and as dozens of countries halt new coal-fired power projects due to their impact on the environment. He said: “By 2041, there is a plan to generate 40 per cent of power from renewable energy.” He also said that Bangladesh would also import hydropower from Nepal and Bhutan.

The scrapped power plants would have generated a combined output of 8451 MW. Hamid said they included a 1320 MW plant on the ecologically fragile Maheshkhali island and a 1200 MW project set to be constructed by a Bangladeshi-Japanese joint venture. Most plants were due to be built in Bangladesh’s coastal region.