Coal-fired Power Deal with Malaysia: Soon

The Power Division is going to place the project summery of 1320MW joint venture coal-fired power plant to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in this week to sign a deal with Malaysia for setting up the project on equal share basis at Moheshkhali Island in Cox’s Bazar, an official source said.

Bangladesh and Malaysia reached a mutual understanding on May to set up the coal-fired power plant during a recent visit of high-powered Malaysian delegation to Bangladesh. On the other hand, Bangladesh and Malaysia sides had signed a MoU on cooperation in power sector on October 18, 2011.

After then, setting up of the joint venture coal-fired power project at Moheshkhali with Malaysia became uncertain as the Kuala Lumpur authority sought two-third ownership of the power project, an official said.

Last year, the Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) consortium, a Malaysian state-owned company, now seeks two third shares, as it has changed its previous stand on fifty percent shares of the proposed 1320MW coal-fired power project.