NOVEMBER 2019

Choked by Coal:
The Carbon Catastrophe in Bangladesh

Photo credit: StevenKNOVEMBER 20192

Contents
Executive summary

3

Background4

Coal expansion plans

4

A global risk

4

Coal power in Bangladesh
Massive pipeline of coal-fired power projects
Public opposition to coal power plants under construction
Barapukuira case study

4
4
5
6

Covered in Coal: Bangladesh’s coal expansion plans (infographic)

7

Coal Infrastructure

9

Ports and coal imports

8

Transmission and distribution of power

8

Climate Change

10		

Global warming impact on Bangladesh

10

Proposed plants would bust climate targets

11

Who’s backing these coal projects?

12

Foreign ownership

12

Engineering, procurement and construction

13

Finance13

A clean, sustainable energy future is possible

14

Appendix A

16

Who’s financing the coal and infrastructure projects?

16

Table: List of proposed coal power projects in Bangladesh

17

Endnotes18

NOVEMBER 20193

Executive summary
Bangladesh has big plans to expand its power generation in the coming decades. One might expect
the country’s vulnerability to climate change impacts would mean power generation capacity is plannedwith low-carbon renewable energy - it is not. Bangladesh plans a massive increase of coal-fired power,
the most greenhouse gas intensive form of fossil fuel electricity generation. This analysis explores theseplans, the proponents behind the projects, necessary associated infrastructure and the potential impacts
on community and climate.
•

Bangladesh has at least 29 coal-fired power projects with a total capacity of 33,200 MW underconstruction and pre-construction. If all the proposed projects are built, the country’s coal power
capacity would increase by 63 times.

•

It would cost Bangladesh an estimated US$2 billion annually to import large volumes of coal to power
the proposed coal plants. Unless exports increase significantly, this would add billions to a negativebalance of trade, and lock in Bangladesh to costly coal imports for decades.

•

Bangladesh has jumped to 6th place (from 12th) in the last three years in the global ranking of coal
power capacity in ‘active development’, which includes coal plants in pre-construction and construction
stages.

•All of Bangladesh’s proposed coal projects are inconsistent with the Paris Agreement’s climate goalsof limiting global warming to well below 2ºC. and to pursue efforts to limit global warming to 1.5ºC. No
room exists to build new coal power anywhere in the world.

•

Annual emissions from the proposed coal plants would be 115 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (Mt
CO2) by 2031, higher than the upper emissions estimate for the controversial Keystone XL oil pipeline(110 Mt CO2-e per year).

•

4,600 Mt CO2 would be emitted through the operating lifetime of Bangladesh’s proposed coal plants.
This is 20% greater than the lifetime emissions from all of the currently operating coal plants in Japan.

•

Foreign countries are investing heavily in Bangladesh’s coal power expansion. Entities domiciled in
China represent the majority of the proposed coal power capacity - 18,000 MW across 15 projects.
UK- and Japan-based companies are involved in three proposed coal projects each, with coal power
capacity totalling 4,700 MW and 3,600 MW respectively.

•

China and Japan have concentrated their investments in the ports and planned ‘power hubs’ at Payra
and Matarbari. There is a heavy concentration of China-backed coal power and coal import infrastructure
projects proposed at Payra. Meanwhile, Japan-backed pipeline coal plants and related infrastructure
projects are prominent at Matarbari.

•

Only 10% of the proposed coal plants have progressed to the construction phase. One such project,
the 1,320 MW Rampal power plant continues to face mass public protest demanding a halt to its
development as it threatens the World Heritage listed Sundarbans mangrove forest.

•

A clean, sustainable energy future is possible for Bangladesh. Renewable energy can replace planned
coal power projects as a lower cost alternative for electricity generation.

NOVEMBER 2019

4

Background
Bangladesh is one of the fastest growing economies in the world with a forecast growth rate of eight percent per year in the next two years.1 The Government of Bangladesh (GoB), as a part of its goal to becomea developed country by 2041, has committed to provide access to affordable and reliable electricity for all.2
As of August 2019, Bangladesh’s installed power capacity was 19,000 megawatts (MW), only 3% of
which is coal-fired.3 Ninety per cent of the country’s population currently benefits from electricity coverage.4

Coal expansion plans
The GoB’s ‘Revisiting Power System Master Plan 2016’ (PSMP) sets out a roadmap to meet energy
demand growth to 2041.5 By 2041, the PSMP has set a goal to achieve net generation capacity that ismore than four times the capacity today.6 The share of coal, the most greenhouse emissions-intensive
fossil fuel, is also slated to increase to 32% of the electricity mix.7
Energy experts and high-level officials of the GoB’s Ministry of power, energy and resources have cautioned
the methodology used for future demand forecast does not consider cyclical fluctuations in demand. They
also pointed out that one-third of the country’s existing power capacity lies idle due to low demand.8

A global risk
Global Energy Monitor (GEM) currently ranks Bangladesh 6th globally with respect to the amount of coal
power capacity in ‘active development’. GEM defines coal plants in ‘active development’ as those in either
the pre-construction and construction stages. Bangladesh moved up from 12th place between July 2016
and July 2019. The only countries currently pursuing new coal power capacity more aggressively are China,
India, Indonesia, Turkey, and Vietnam.9 According to End Coal – an advocacy group concerned about coal’s
harmful impact on human health, environment, and climate – if plans to build coal power plants around theworld are realised it could lead to “a fate likened to planetary collapse”.10

NOVEMBER 20195

Coal power in Bangladesh
Massive pipeline of coal-fired power projects
Market Forces has identified 10,200 MW of coal power capacity in Bangladesh’s pipeline in addition to the
Global Energy Monitor’s capacity in ‘active development’ (23,000 MW). The additional capacity represents
coal power plants that Market Forces considers at significant risk of being pursued in future.
Analysis by Market Forces finds that Bangladesh has at least 29 coal-fired power projects with a total
capacity of 33,200 MW in the pipeline (pre-construction and under construction) as of July 2019.11 If all
the pipeline projects were built, Bangladesh would increase its coal power capacity by 63
times. At the moment, the only operational coal-fired plant is the 525 MW Barapukuria subcritical plant inDinajpur district12.
Most of Bangladesh’s 33,200 MW of proposed coal power projects are located in three ‘power hubs’ on
the south coast of Bangladesh at Payra, Matarbari and Maheshkhali.

Public opposition to coal power plants underconstruction
There is strong public opposition to the under-construction 1,320 MW Rampal power plant as it threatens
the Sundarbans mangrove forests, a UNESCO world heritage site, home to the endangered Bengal tiger13.
Communities in Bangladesh and overseas have demanded a stop to the plant. If built, pollution from theRampal plant would have a devastating impact on the Sundarbans and the 500,000 people who rely on
the forest for their livelihoods14.
Of the 29 proposed projects, only 10% have progressed to construction. It is widely reported that landacquisition and construction work for proposed coal projects at Rampal15, Barguna16, Patuakhali17,
Matarbari, and Maheshkhali18 are causing suffering for local communities. Displaced communities allege
that corruption, malpractice and violations of human rights have occurred in relation to land acquisition andrelocation processes for the proposed projects, and that they have not been fully compensated for the lossof their homes and farmlands15, 16, 17, 18.

NOVEMBER 20196

Covered in Coal
Bangladesh’s coal expansion plans
1

2

Barpukiria plant

3

4

BANGLADESH
5
6

7

8

9
Mongla Port

10

A

Payra
Hub

MatarbariandMaheshkhali
Hub

Chittagong Port

11
19 20

12
KEY
Protected areas ofenvironmental orcultural significance*

Planned powertransmission
networks

13

14 15
17

18

16

21 22
24 25
28

B

23
26

27

29

*Protected areas of environmental and cultural significance have been collected from ‘World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA)’,which is a joint project between the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the International Union for Conservation of
Nature (IUCN), managed by UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC). UNEP-WCMC (2019). Protected Area Profile
for Bangladesh from the World Database of Protected Areas, October 2019. Available at: www.protectedplanet.net

NOVEMBER 20197al

In perspective:
Visualising increases
in expansion plans

Graphics scaled to relative volumes

PROPOSED COAL POWER PLANTS
Phulbari Phase 1, 2000 MW
Phulbari Phase 2, 2000 MW
3 Dighipara 1000 MW
4 Gaibandha Ashuganj 1320 MW
5 Grazaria (Orion) 700 MW
6 Mawa 660 MW
7 Munshiganj 400 MW
8 Gazaria (RPCL) 350 MW
9 Mirsarai 1320 MW
10 Rampal 1320 MW

PROPOSED COAL PORTS

Barisal 700 MW
Patuakhali (Ashuganj) Phase 1, 1320 MW
13 Patuakhali (Ashuganj) Phase 2, 1320 MW
14 Patuakhali (BCPCL) Phase 2 of Payra 1320 MW
15 Patuakhali (RPCL/NORINCO) Phase 1, 1320 MW
16 Patuakhali (RPCL/NORINCO) Phase 2, 1320 MW
17 Payra Phase 1, 1320 MW
18 Sena Kalyan Sangstha 1200 KW
19 Pekua Phase 1, 1200 MW
20 Pekua Phase 2, 1200 MW

A

Payra

B

Matarbari

1

11

21

Matarbari Khoelia Phase 1, 700 MW

2

12

22

Matarbari Khoelia Phase 2, 700 MW

23

Matabari Phase 1, 1200 MW

24

Matabari Phase 2, 1200 MW

25

Maheshkhali (KEPCO) 1200 MW

26

Maheshkhali (Huadian) 1320 MW

27

Maheshkhali (BPDB/TNB) 1200 MW

28

Maheshkhali (PowerChina) 1200 MW

29

Banshkhali 1224 MW

Locations on this infographic are all approximate and for illustrative purposes only. ©2019 Market Forces. Report and Infographic design by Erin Laurence.

NOVEMBER 20198

Barapukuria Case Study
Bangladesh’s only operational coal plant is toxic and inefficient, raisingconcerns about larger coal plants under construction.

The 525 MW Barapukuria subcritical coal power plant is a mine-mouth plant in Dinajpur districtin northern Bangladesh.
Toxic impact:•

On water — Testing found that the coal ash pond had significantly contaminated well water and irrigationwater with toxic heavy metals19. Lead levels were 35-395 times higher than the WHO drinking water
standards while chromium was 8,025-18,675 times higher.

•

On land — Coal ash pond overflows onto cropland, contaminating food production areas20.

Not Operating at Full Capacity:•

In 2018, Barakuria was shut down due to lack of coal after more than 140,000 tonnes of coal was
reported to have “disappeared”, causing power outages in northern Bangladesh21. The missing coal was
allegedly sold illegally by officials at the Barapukuria mine22.

•

To address coal supply shortages, attempts were made to import 800,000 additional tonnes of coal but
failed due to the high costs resulting in an ongoing coal shortage23.

•

Plant load factors for units 1 and 2 plummeted by 22 percentage points, going from 66% in FY 2017 to
only 44% in FY 2018. The plant load factor for newly built unit 3 achieved 48% in FY 201824.

Inability to fully operate Barapukuria without toxic impacts causes concern for larger coalplants:•At 525 MW, Barapukuria is much smaller than the 1320 MW Payra, 1200 MW Matabari and 1320 MW
Rampal coal plants currently under construction.

•

The Rampal coal plant is being constructed with inferior pollution control technology that would lead tothe early death of 6,000 people25.

•

The Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB), the same public sector parent company whichowns Barapukuria plant is identified as the co-sponsor of eight other proposed coal-fired power plants
with 10,000 MW of total capacity.

NOVEMBER 20199

Coal Infrastructure
Ports and coal imports
Twenty-five of the 29 proposed coal projects plan to use imported coal for power generation, while theremaining mine mouth plants intend to use domestic coal. Deep sea ports planned at Payra (in Patuakhali
district) and Matarbari (in Cox’s Bazar district) would be required to import coal from Australia, India,
Indonesia, and South Africa.
Twenty (20) million metric tonnes of coal is planned to be imported through Payra every year once all the
pipeline coal plants are commissioned (the year by which this will occur is unspecified)26. The proposed
Matarbari port’s coal terminal plans to import up to 41 million tonnes of coal by 20427. The ports therefore
play a pivotal role in the massive build out of pipeline coal power plants. These plans represent a 4000%
increase in Bangladesh’s current imports of just 1.5 mtpa of thermal coal28.
At September 2019 prices, the estimated cost of importing 61 mtpa of thermal coal as Bangladesh
plans to do by 2041, would be US$2 billion annually29. During fiscal years 2018 and 2019, the country
experienced the largest trade deficits in its history - US$18 billion and US$16 billion respectively. The
pipeline plants would lock Bangladesh into a huge volume of coal imports for decades. Unless exports
increase significantly, billions worth of coal purchased from abroad would add on to trade deficits. Experts
warn that if this trend continues, it would be challenging to manage the negative balance of trade30.

Transmission and distribution of power
The GoB has taken various initiatives to improve nationwide transmission and distribution networks. The
US$532 million Southwest Transmission Grid Expansion Project is to develop new transmission lines andpower grids to transmit power from the Payra power hub located in Patuakhali district to Bangladesh’s
southwestern regions and greater Dhaka. The project is planned to be financed through a US$350 million
Asian Development Bank (ADB) loan, US$7 million grant from Japan, US$0.50 million grant from theRepublic of Korea and the rest is to be financed by GoB31.
Another such project, the US$177 million Chittagong Power System Expansion is to be financed througha US$120 million loan from Beijing-based Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). The project would
transmit power generated from power plants in Matarbari32.
Given that both of these transmission and distribution projects rely heavily on proposed coal power plants
being successfully built and operated at Payra and Matarbari, they would share in the stranded asset risks
borne by the coal plants.

NOVEMBER 201910

Climate Change
Global warming impact on Bangladesh
The Asian Development Bank ranks Bangladesh seventh in the world of countries most affected by climatechange33. This is because of its geography and socio-economic factors. Bangladesh is a coastal, low-lying
river delta country highly impacted by flooding, cyclones and storm surges. It is ranked number 1 in theworld by the UNDP for its vulnerability to tropical cyclones. Severe cyclones make landfall in Bangladesh
every three years on average. Under a scenario where global temperature rises by 2.4°C, the number ofhighest intensity cyclones (category 4 and 5) will increase by about 130%34 By 2050, with a projected half
metre rise in sea level, 11% of Bangladesh’s land mass may be lost, affecting about 15 million people init’s coastal areas35.

Heavy flooding from monsoon rain and tide from river in Dohar, Bangladesh on August 5, 2016.

NOVEMBER 201911

Proposed plants would bust climate targets
Despite being among the world’s most vulnerable countries to climate change impacts, one of the largest‘carbon bombs’ may yet be released in Bangladesh. If all of Bangladesh’s pipeline coal-fired power isbuilt, these plants would emit approximately 115 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (Mt CO2) annually by
203136. For perspective, the proposed coal plants would produce more carbon dioxide than upper estimate
emissions for the highly controversial Keystone XL oil pipeline between Canada and the USA (110 Mt
CO2-e per year)37.
Annual CO2 emissions from the coal plants would also be 219% greater than the 36 Mt CO2-e per annum
that Bangladesh conditionally intends to mitigate relative to ‘business as usual’ by 2030 in its power,transport and industry sectors, as stated in its Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) to theParis Agreement38. Adding the 29 proposed coal plants to the Bangladesh’s power fleet would renderother emissions mitigation efforts meaningless.
4,600 Mt CO2 would be emitted over the operating lifetime of the projects, 20% greater than the lifetime
emissions from all of the currently operating coal plants in Japan39.
No new coal fired power plants can be built if we are to reach the Paris Agreement’s climate goals of
limiting global warming to 1.5°C or even 2°C40,41. Despite the GoB’s objective to “[manage] coal fired power
stations in a carbon-neutral way,”42 none of Bangladesh’s pipeline coal power projects are consistent witha 1.5°C target43.

“[Bangladesh’s] current plans to develop domestic coal production, importing LNG to meetdomestic gas demands and expansion of coal-fired power (projected to reach a share of
35% by 2041) are not in line with the need to decarbonise the energy system and phaseout coal for power generation by 2040, as a Paris Agreement-compatible pathway forSouth Asia shows”.
– Climate Analytics, May 201944

NOVEMBER 201912

Who’s backing these coal projects?
Foreign ownership
Most pipeline coal-fired power plants in Bangladesh are co-sponsored through public-private partnerships(PPP) or government-to-government (G2G) initiatives between local and foreign companies45. Entities
domiciled in China are involved in 15 projects with coal power capacity of 18,000 MW in total. UK andJapan-based companies are involved in three pipeline coal projects each, with capacity totalling 4,700 MW
and 3,600 MW respectively.
Of the 29 proposed coal power plants analysed, detailed information on ownership split between local
and foreign entities is available for 17 plants with a combined capacity of 20,500 MW. Figure 1 shows the
proportion of pipeline coal projects broken down by sponsors’ country of incorporation. Entities domiciled in
Bangladesh are sponsors or co-sponsors of 42% of coal plant capacity with known ownership information,with the remainder owned by foreign-domiciled entities.
Among foreign entities where ownership split is known, Chinese companies and state-owned enterprises
represent the lion’s share (30%), whilst companies from the United Kingdom have the second largest
share (15%), followed by India, Japan, Malaysia and Singapore (3% each).

2.9%
Malaysia

2.9+2.93.23.414.830.542.4

2.9%
Japan

42.3%
Bangladesh

3.2%
India

30.4%
China

14.8%
UK

3.4%
SingaporeFig 1: Ownership of 20,500 MW combined capacity of proposed coal projects in Bangladesh,by entities’ country of incorporation

NOVEMBER 201913

Engineering, procurement and construction
The engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractors were identified across 15 out of 29
proposed projects in Bangladesh. The majority of EPC contracts to develop proposed coal plants are with
Chinese state-owned companies and their subsidiaries.
The largest EPC contractors incorporated in China exposed to Bangladesh’s proposed cal power expansion
are:•Power Construction Corporation of China or PowerChina (6,000 MW)•

China Energy Engineering Corporation or EnergyChina (4,000 MW)•

First Northeast Electric Power Engineering Company (2,600 MW)•

China National Machinery Import and Export Corp (2,600 MW)•

China Huadian (1,320 MW)

Other major EPC contractors or technology and technical support providers are:•Japanese companies Toshiba (1,200 MW) and Sumitomo (1,200 MW)•

US-based General Electric (1,360 MW)•

German company Siemens AG (1,320 MW) and•South Korea’s Doosan Group (660 MW).

PowerChina is the single largest EPC contractor, with involvement in four pipeline coal projects in
Bangladesh.

Finance
Market Forces aggregated data relating to the 29 proposed coal projects (33,200 MW) made available via
financial databases, company disclosures and other sources. Of these, the project cost was identified for
18 out of 29 pipeline plants, amounting to approximately US$40 billion in total.
Financial information regarding the pipeline coal projects is not widely available as, for many plants, planned
commissioning is some time away and therefore financing has likely not progressed significantly. The debt
providers for only four projects (5,160 MW) were identified, showing that foreign export credit agencies
play a huge role. See Appendix A for details on lending.
Regarding the four projects with lenders identified, it’s evident that the domicile of the financier is always
shared with the owners or EPC contractors. For instance, projects with Chinese owners or EPCs arefinanced by Exim Bank of China (CHEXIM) while the project with Japan-based sponsorship or EPC
contracts is financed by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Considering this trend, whichis consistent with findings in other countries46, many pipeline coal projects would seek to attract debt
from financial counterparts with a record of providing significant debt to the coal power sector. There areseveral Chinese, Japanese and UK-based commerical banks with such a record47. See ‘Commercial banks
to watch for finance in Bangladesh’.

NOVEMBER 201914

Commercial banks to watch forcoal finance in Bangladesh
47

China & Japan:
Pledged to Paris, or pledged to coal?
The GoB is encouraging of foreign companies to invest in the power sector. The ‘Speedy Supply of Power and Energy
Law’ enacted in 2010 allows the government to directly award contracts to build power plants without a competitive
bidding process48 China and Japan, both signatories of the Paris Agreement, have taken advantage of this opportunity
and are seeking to construct massive coal power hubs at Payra and Matarbari.
Although China-backed pipeline coal projects are located across Bangladesh, there is a heavy concentration at andnear the Payra power hub in Patuakhali district. Two Chinese companies have signed a memorandum of understanding(MoU) to develop the Payra deep sea port’s main and supporting infrastructure49. In addition, multiple pipeline coalprojects at and near the Payra power hub are being co-sponsored by companies domiciled in China. The coal power
projects’ EPC contractors and financiers are also China-based.
Meanwhile, Japan-backed coal plant and related projects are most prominent at Matarbari power hub in Cox’s Bazar
district. According to IJGlobal, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has loaned US$24 million for the
Matarbari port development and is considering lending an additional US$486 million50. Meanwhile, the port’s cargo andprimary fuel terminal is jointly owned by Japan’s JERA (owned by Tokyo Electric Power Company and Chubu ElectricPower). Two power plants at the Matarbari power hub with 2,400 MW capacity are co-sponsored by Japan’s Sumitomo
Corporation. Japan’s ODA agency JICA has provided loans for the first phase of one of the two plants.

NOVEMBER 201915

A clean, sustainable energy future is possible
There is a clear imperative for Bangladesh to adopt an energy future compatible with the Paris Agreement’s
target of limiting global warming to well below 2°C and to pursue efforts to limit global warming to 1.5°C.
This requires a complete phase out of coal-fired power generation by 2040 globally and a rapid uptake ofrenewable energy51.
A clean and sustainable energy future is possible for Bangladesh. Only 10% of the proposed coal plants
have progressed to the construction phase, while the remaining projects have merely been announced or
are in preliminary, pre-construction stages. Potential for up to 53 gigawatts (GW) of solar power capacity
exists in Bangladesh, which could replace planned coal power projects as a lower cost alternative forelectricity generation52.
Bangladesh can achieve both sustainable development and its goal as a Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF)
country to “meet 100% domestic renewable energy production as rapidly as possible”53. The GoB has
already taken steps towards this goal by setting a renewable energy target of 10% of total power generation
by 202054. A renewable energy pathway can strengthen Bangladesh’s energy security while protecting thecountry from sovereign risks from the high cost of coal imports and volatile international markets.
The countries pushing proposed coal projects onto Bangladesh are pivotal to the global energy
transformation. China and India are global leaders in large-scale solar power expansion55 while Japanannounced it will not sanction new large coal plants domestically56. These countries should apply the same
principles for Bangladesh by proposing clean renewable technology for power generation.
At least 112 major financial institutions have announced coal exit, with the global financial sector
increasingly shifting away from coal due to environmental, reputational and financial risks associated withclimate change57. Banks, insurers and other financial institutions approached to support Bangladesh’s
proposed coal fleet can play a pivotal role by providing funds for renewable energy investments instead.
JICA, which is financing the under-construction 1,200 MW Matarbari coal plant, has previously provided
funds to promote renewable energy in Bangladesh58.
Coal plant developers should suspend plans to build coal power projects and utilize the capital to drive
rapid deployment of renewable power. Some of the known sponsors and EPC contractors for proposedcoal projects in Bangladesh already have the expertise and capability to drive an energy transformation.
The US-based General Electric’s renewables business, for instance, has installed more than 400 GW ofrenewable energy across the globe59. PowerChina has built more than 4 GW of renewable energy capacity
and is growing as a renewables EPC company globally60. Meanwhile, Japan’s Sumitomo is involved inbuilding and operating 1.4 GW of renewables capacity worldwide and is seeking to raise additional funds
to invest in overseas wind projects61.

NOVEMBER 201916

Methodology:
This brief examined the coal-fired power pipeline in Bangladesh for projects that are either proposed orunder construction as of October 2019.
Market Forces identified 29 ‘pipeline coal projects’ that have either reached financial close or have material
prospects of being commissioned. Coal power plants considered include those listed in the Governmentof Bangladesh’s ‘Revisiting Power Sector Master Plan 2016’ (PSMP) and Global Energy Monitor’s Global
Coal Plant Tracker (GCPT, July 2019, full dataset not publicly available).
Additional data relating to coal infrastructure, sponsors, financiers and engineering, procurement andconstruction contractors (EPCs) was identified via investigation of publicly available company disclosures,
official government documents, peer-reviewed academic journals, research reports, subscription-based
financial databases provided by IJGlobal and Thomson Reuters and media reports.
Disclaimer:
The organisations co-publishing this report do not necessarily endorse the positions of other co-publishers
outside of the issues raised in this report.
Market Forces has made every effort to ensure the analysis and information provided in brief are sound,but cannot guarantee the accuracy or correctness of any of the data collected from external sources.
Market Forces disclaims any liability arising from the use of information provided in this report. This is a
non-commercial product for public dissemination only. Not for sale.

NOVEMBER 201917

Appendix A

Who’s financing the coal and infrastructure projects?

Lending data on pipeline coal power
plants (where information is available )62

Coal power project

Financestatus63

Financial Institutions and Export US$
credit agencies (ECAs)
million1320 MW Banshkhali
power station

Financial close

The Exim Bank of China (CHEXIM)

1,7391320 MW Rampal
power station

Financial close

Export-Import Bank of India

1,600

Financial close

Japan International Cooperation
Agency (JICA) ODA loans

1,481

Financing

Japan International Cooperation
Agency (JICA)

1,326

Financing

The Exim Bank of China (CHEXIM)

1,9001200 MW Matarbari
power station

1,320 MW Payra
power station

NOVEMBER 201918

List of proposed coal power projects in Bangladesh
Project

MW
Site area
Capacity

SponsorCommission
expected

Barisal power station

700

BarisalISO Tech Electrification Company

January 2022

Patuakhali power station (Ashuganj) Phase 1

1320

BarisalAshuganj Power Station Company Limited(APSCL) and Energy China

December 2024

Patuakhali power station (Ashuganj) Phase 2

1320

BarisalAshuganj Power Station Company Limited(APSCL)

December 2030

Patuakhali power station (Phase 2 of Payra
Power Station)

1320

BarisalBangladesh-China Power Company Limited(BCPCL)

December 2023

Patuakhali power station (RPCL/NORINCO)
Phase 1

1320

BarisalBangladesh Rural Power-Norinco
International Power

December 2024

Patuakhali power station (RPCL/NORINCO)
Phase 21320

Barisal

Rural Power Company Limited (RPCL) andNORINCO

December 2031

Payra power station (Phase 1)

1320

BarisalBangladesh-China Power Company Limited(BCPCL)

December 2019

Sena Kalyan Sangstha power station

1200

BarisalSena Kalyan Sangstha (SKS) and SDIC

Not known

Banshkhali power station

1224

Chittagong

SS Power I Ltd and SS Power II Ltd

December 2028

Mirsarai power station

1320

Chittagong

Zhejiang Jindun Holding Group Co. Ltd(ZJHG)

January 2023

Maheshkhali power station (BPDB/TNB)

1200

Cox’s Bazar

BPDB and Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB)

December 2027

Maheshkhali power station (Huadian)

1320

Cox’s Bazar

Huadian Chittagong

December 2027

Maheshkhali power station (KEPCO)

1200

Cox’s Bazar

Bangladesh Power Development Board(BPDB) and KEPCO

December 2029

Maheshkhali power station (PowerChina)

1200

Cox’s Bazar

Bangladesh Power Development Board(BPDB) and PowerChina

December 2027

Matabari power station (CPGCB-Simotomo)
Phase 1

1200

Cox’s Bazar

Coal Power Generation Company
Bangladesh (CPGCBL) and Sumitomo

December 2026

Matabari power station (CPGCB-Simotomo)
Phase 2

1200

Cox’s Bazar

Coal Power Generation Company
Bangladesh (CPGCBL) and Sumitomo

December 2028

Matarbari Kohelia power station Phase 1

700

Cox’s Bazar

Kohelia Singapore Holding Private Limited(KPHSL)

December 2023

Matarbari Kohelia power station Phase 2

700

Cox’s Bazar

Coal Power Generation Company
Bangladesh (CPGCBL) and Sembcorp

December 2032

Pekua power station Phase 1

1200

Cox’s Bazar

Electricity Generation Company ofBangladesh Limited (EGCB) JV

December 2025

Pekua power station Pwhase 2

1200

Cox’s Bazar

Electricity Generation Company ofBangladesh Limited (EGCB) JV

December 2030

Gazaria power station (Orion)

700

Dhaka

Orion Power Unit-2 Dhaka Limited

December 2022

Gazaria power station (RPCL)

350

Dhaka

Rural Power Company Limited (RPCL)

December 2021

Mawa power station

660

Dhaka

Orion-Long King (OLK)

June 2022

Munshiganj power station

400

Dhaka

Electricity Generation Company ofBangladesh Limited (EGCB)

December 2026

Rampal power station (Maitree)

1320

KhulnaBangladesh-India Friendship Power Company
Pvt Ltd. (BIFPCL)March 2021

Dighipara power station

1000

Rangpur

North-West Power Generation Company(NWPGCL)

December 2032

Gaibandha Ashuganj power station

1320

Rangpur

Ashuganj Power Station Company Limited(APSCL)

December 2031

Phulbari Coal Project (GCM-China Gezhouba)

2000

Dinajpur

GCM Resources and Energy China

Not known

Phulbari Coal Project (GCM-Sinohydro/
PowerChina)

2000

Dinajpur

GCM Resources and PowerChina

2024

NOVEMBER 201919

Endnotes
1

Asian Development Bank, Gross Domestic Product growth (%/year) from the ‘Asian Development
Outlook 2019’, Link: https://www.adb.org/countries/bangladesh/economy (accessed 15
September 2019).
2

Government of Bangladesh’s Ministry of Power, Development & Mineral Resources, ‘Revisiting 		Power Sector Master Plan 2016’ (November 2018), p9,10.

3

Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB), ‘BPDB Daily Generation Report’ (31 August 		2019).

4

Government of Bangladesh’s Ministry of Finance, Bangladesh Economic Review 2018, ‘Chapter 10:
Power and Energy’. According to BPDB website, as of 31 August 2019, Bangladesh’s installed 		
power generation capacity was 19,057 MW while the maximum electricity generation for 2019 		
was 12,738 MW (on 5 August, 2019). The only coal power station contributing to Bangladesh’s
installed power generation capacity is the Barapukuria Power Station (525 MW). This makes coal’scontribution to electricity mix 2.7%. (BPDB website accessed 16 September 2019).

5

Government of Bangladesh’s Ministry of Power, Development & Mineral Resources, ‘Revisiting 		Power Sector Master Plan 2016’ (November 2018), p9,10.

6

Revisiting Power Sector Master Plan 2016’ (November 2018) sets out a goal to achieve net power
generation capacity of 94,000 MW under a high demand or 79,500 MW under a low demand 		scenario by 2041. p 39-42.

7Ibid., 36-47 The World Bank, ‘Understanding CO2 emissions from the global energy sector’ 		(February 2014).

8

China Dialogue, ‘Bangladesh may suspend new power plant approvals’ (11 September 2019).

9

Global Energy Monitor’s (GEM) Global Coal Plant Tracker (GCPT) July 2019 dataset (not publicly
available) and Global Coal Plant Tracker (GCPT) July 2016 dataset (not publicly available).

10

End Coal, ‘Climate Change’ (Accessed 16 September 2019).

11

The 29 projects were compiled by Market Forces and represent those proposed and under 		
construction projects that have either reached financial close or which we believe have material 		prospects of progressing towards commissioning. In compiling this list, Market Forces considered
projects listed by Global Energy Monitor’s Global Coal Plant Tracker (GCPT) July 2019 dataset 		(not publicly available), the Government of Bangladesh’s ‘Revisiting Power Sector Master Plan 		2016’ and disclosures made by project sponsors and stakeholders.

NOVEMBER 201920

12

Bangladesh’s administration is divided into 8 major regions called ‘divisions’. Each division is further
split into 64 districts (‘jela’ or ‘zila’) which are then further sub-divided into 493 sub-districts 		
(‘upojela’ or ‘upozila’). Full list on GoB website: shorturl.at/hksE2.

13

The Guardian ‘Thousands to march against coal plant threat to Bangladesh’s Sundarbans forest’ (2March 2016).

14

Chowdhury, Dr. Abdullah Harun, ‘Environmental Impact of Coal based Power Plant of Rampal on the
Sundarbans and Surrounding areas’. Khulna University, (n.d.).

15

South Asians for Human Rights (SAHR), ‘Report of the Fact Finding Mission to Rampal, 			
Bangladesh’ (2015).

16

The Daily Star, ‘Rakhine land grabbed in Barguna’ (26 April 2019).

17

The Daily Star, ‘30,000 families affected: report’ (12 May 2019).

18

Prothom Alo, ‘Development frenzy hits Maheskhali hard’ (20 July 2019).

19

Tamjid-Us-Sakib et al, ‘Water Quality of Coal Ash Pond and Its Impact on Adjoining Surface and 		Groundwater Systems;, American Journal of Water Resources, Vol. 6, No. 4, 2018.

20

Jago New 24, ‘Barapukuria thermal power plant’s waste going into crop fields’ (21 January 2019).

21

Dhaka Tribune, ‘Barapukuria power plant shut down after 142,000 tons of coal disappear’ (22 July2018).

22

Dhaka Tribune, ‘Barapukuria coal scam: No one named in Petrobangla probe report, claims key
investigator’ (27 July 2019).

23

The Daily Sun, ‘Coal Import Move Fails for High Price’ (17 April 2019).

24

Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB), ‘Annual Report 2016-2017’ p50 and ‘Annual
Report 2017-2018’ p51.

25

Lauri Myllyvira, ‘Projecting the air quality, toxic and health impacts of the Rampal coal-fired power
plant’ (May 2017).

26

Payra Port Authority, ‘Press Release as of 14 January 2019’ (Original document in Bengali).

27

Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), ‘Final Report: Preparatory Survey on Matarbari Port
Development Project in the People’s Republic of Bangladesh’ (n.d.) p2-18.

28

Japan International Cooperation Agency, ‘Preparatory Survey on Matarbari Port Development
Project in the People’s Republic of Bangladesh’ (December 2018).

29

Given a recent (June 2019) agreement for an Indonesian firm to supply coal to the Payra power
plant, this estimate assumes all imported coal is low-calorific value (GAR 4,200 kcal/kg) Indonesiancoal purchased at the September 2019 price of US$32.75 per tonne.

NOVEMBER 201921

30

The Daily Star, ‘Trade deficit shrinks on low imports’ (20 August, 2019).

31

Asian Development Bank, ‘Southwest Transmission Grid Expansion Project’ (July 2018).

32

Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank ‘Approval Project Document for Power System Upgrade andExpansion Project’ (March 2019).

33

Germanwatch, ‘Global Climate Risk Index 2019’ (December, 2018).

34

Climate Analytics. ‘Decarbonising South & South East Asia: Country Profile - Bangladesh’ (May2019).

35

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) ‘Human Development Report 2011:
Sustainability and Equity: A Better Future for All’ (2011).

36

Annual and lifetime CO2 estimates are based on the Global Energy Monitor’s Global Coal Plant
Tracker (July 2019) dataset (not publicly available). The average retirement age of South Asian
coal-fired unit retirement in the Global Coal Plant Tracker is 20 years.

37

Stockholm Environment Institute, ‘Impact of the Keystone XL pipeline on global oil markets andgreenhouse gas emissions’ (10 August 2014).

38

Government of Bangladesh’s Ministry of Environment and Forests (MOEF), ‘Intended Nationally
Determined Contributions (INDC)’ (September 2015).

39

Lifetime CO2 estimates are based on the Global Energy Monitor’s (GEM) Global Coal Plant Tracker(GCPT) July 2019 dataset (not publicly available). According to GCPT, all operating coal plants
in Japan with total capacity of 45,533 MW will produce emission of 3838.57 Mt CO2 throughout
their operating lifetime.

40

Alexander Pfeiffer et al , ‘Committed emissions from existing and planned power plants and asset
stranding required to meet the Paris Agreement’ 2018 Environ. Res. Lett. 13 054019 (2018). DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/aabc5f.

41

Dan Tong et al, ‘Committed emissions from existing energy infrastructure jeopardize 1.5 °C climate
target’. Nature volume 572, page s373–377 (2019). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-0191364-3.

42

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), ‘Bangladesh’s Intended
Nationally Determined Contributions (INDC)’ (September 2015).

43

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), ‘Special Report: Global Warming of 1.5 ºC’(2018), p34.

44

Climate Analytics. ‘Decarbonising South & South East Asia: Country Profile - Bangladesh’ (May2019).

NOVEMBER 2019

22

45

New Age Bangladesh, ‘Full text of budget speech’ (14 June 2019).

46

Market Forces ‘Foreign Finance to Indonesian Coal’ (5 June 2017).

47

Rainforest Action Network (RAN) ‘Banking on Climate Change: Fossil fuel finance report card2019’ (20 March 2019).

48

S&P Global Platts, ‘Bangladesh Cabinet approves 4-year extension of special law for energy, power
projects’ (27 August 2014).

49

ANI News, ‘Bangladesh’s Payra shipping port could fall into Chinese hands’ (3 April 2019).

50

IJGlobal, ‘Transaction Data’ (accessed 10 September 2019).

51

Climate Analytics, ‘Global and regional coal phase-out requirements of the Paris Agreement:
Insights from the IPCC Special Report on 1.5°C’ (September 2019).

52

Shiraishi, K et al, ‘Identifying High Priority Clean Energy Investment Opportunities for Bangladesh’(February 2018).

53

Climate Vulnerable Forum, ‘Climate Vulnerable Forum Vision’ (November 2016).

54

Bangladesh Power Development Board, ‘Development of Renewable Energy Technologies by 		
BPDB’ (n.d.)55

Bloomberg, ‘China, India Lead Global Solar Power Expansion’ (22 May 2018).

56

The Asahi Shimbun, ‘Japan to rule out coal-fired plants as international criticism rises’ (28 March2019).

57

Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA), ‘IEEFA update: Asian banks add to
growing number of major financial institutions exiting coal – now 112 and counting’ (14 May 2019).

58

Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), ‘Renewable Energy Development Project’ (n.d.).

59

General Electric, ‘About GE Renewable Energy’ (Accessed 3 October)60

PowerChina Renewables, ‘Why PowerChina’ (Accessed 3 October 2019).

61

Sumitomo Corporation, ‘Establishment of Renewable Energy Fund’ (14 February 2019).

62

IJGlobal, ‘Transaction Data’ (accessed 10 September 2019).

63

This term and associated classifications are defined by IJGlobal on its Glossary webpage.