GHORASHAL UNIT 4 REPOWERING PROJECT




                                                                                                                          INCREASING
                                                                                                                   POWER GENERATION
                                                                                                                         IMPROVING
                                                                                                                         EFFICIENCY


                                                   APPROVAL DATE:            END DATE:           TOTAL COMMITMENT:        IMPLEMENTING AGENCIES:
         BASIC
         INFORMATION
                                                   December 21               March 31            $217 million             Bangladesh Power Development Board
                                                   2015                      2022


     OVERVIEW
     In the context of natural gas supply shortages, improving the efficiency of the existing gas-based power plants is
     a priority of the government. The Ghorashal Unit 4 Repowering Project aims to increase the efficiency of an
     existing power plant and add new generation capacity at Ghorashal Power Station. This will help alleviate
     the country’s power shortages and improve the effectiveness of gas utilization in the power sector.




26
CHALLENGE                                                                                                                                      TOWARDS THE
In the last few years, the power sector has grown rapidly with about 92 percent of the population having access to electricity.                FUTURE
Current installed generation capacity is about 21,000 MW, while available capacity is about 12,000 MW. Considerable challenges,                This is the first repowering project
however, remain to ensure uninterrupted supply of electricity. Supply still lags peak demand resulting in demand curtailment                   in the country and the South
particularly in rural areas. Bangladesh’s economy could grow faster, if energy infrastructure develops in line with economic demands.          Asia region. It is expected that
                                                                                                                                               the project will demonstrate the
The country’s reserves of natural gas are estimated to deplete from 2020 if no new gas reserves are discovered. Consequently,
                                                                                                                                               opportunity of repowering of more
the share of coal-based generation is expected to grow. Shortage of gas and the growing electricity demand have also resulted in
                                                                                                                                               gas-based steam plants for the
expensive, imported fuel oil-based generation. This has impacted the power sector’s financial position due to the huge subsidy for
                                                                                                                                               existing capacity of 1,600 MW in
payments to these private generators.
                                                                                                                                               Bangladesh.



APPROACH
With the shortages in natural gas production, improving the efficiency of gas-based power plants and prioritizing gas supply for
higher efficient plants are critical to the power sector. The Ghorashal Unit 4 Repowering Project will improve the efficiency of the
Unit 4, one of the four 210 MW gas-fired steam units at Ghorashal power station, by converting it into a combined cycle unit for
an upgraded total capacity of 409 MW. A new gas turbine and generator and a new heat recovery steam generator will be added
to the current steam turbine unit, dismantling the existing boiler.

The unit 4 was identified for repowering through a feasibility study. A residual Life Assessment was also carried out to
understand the technical viability of the project. The results were positive both from the technical and economic
return perspectives. The project will increase the generation output will be more than doubled with only 30 percent
increase in gas requirement. Consequently, specific fuel consumption (per GWh) will be reduced by 44 Percent.
This will reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The project will provide operational flexibility to the Bangladesh
Power Development Board (BPDB) as the new gas turbine and existing steam plant will be designed to operate
independently.




                  EXPECTED RESULTS

                        210 MW gas-fired steam                      Overall efficiency increased to                    303 PJ fuel             311,936 tCO2e
                        unit converted into a 409 MW                54% from current efficiency                        savings in projected    reduction in GHG emissions
                        combined cycle unit                         level of 30%                                       lifetime                over project life


                                                                                                                                        THE WORLD BANK IN BANGLADESH           |      27