General Electric (GE) will provide maintenance and digital solutions for a 718MW Bangladeshi combined cycle power plant that will run natural gas-fired and steam turbines.

Plant owner Reliance Bangladesh LNG and Power signed GE to a 22-year agreement on equipment maintenance at its Meghnaghat, Narayangani CCGT facility. The equipment manufacturer will oversee upkeep on the turbines and auxiliary equipment, as well as plant-wide digital solutions on cloud-based asset performance, health, reliability and operations performance intelligence.

“Emerging nations like Bangladesh need reliable and affordable supply of electricity that can further boost the infrastructure development and economic growth,” said Ranjan Lohar, CEO, Reliance Bangladesh LNG & Power Ltd.

“GE’s proven track record of providing high-quality technology, services and advanced digital solutions along with the local footprint in Bangladesh, gives us the confidence that the 718MW Meghnaghat power plant will set a new benchmark in delivering sustainable power to the people of Bangladesh.”

The Meghnaghat power plant will be powered by two GE 9F gas turbines, one GE D11 steam turbine and three H53 generators. It will utilise re-gasified liquified natural gas (LNG) fuel to generate the equivalent electricity needed to supply more than 850,000 homes in Bangladesh.

The Meghnaghat plant could use about 110 million cubic feet per day of regasified LNG, according to previous reports. The plant construction is scheduled for completion by 2022.

GE’s asset gas path technology also will be deployed to help deliver a 6.7% increase in power output, up to 3.3% improvement in heat rate and up to 2% rise in efficiency, according to the company. With the AGP technology the gas turbines will have greater operational flexibility and extend the maintenance interval up to 32,000 hours, GE said.

GE already has installed gas turbines generating about 3GW in Bangladesh, the company noted. These include H-, E- and F-class turbines, as well as Frame 6 and aero derivative units.

Reliance Bangladesh LNG & Power is a joint venture between India’s Reliance Power Limited and Japan’s JERA Co., Inc.

Bangladesh is building up its power generation capacity at a fairly aggressive rate. Various reports indicate the nation is adding close to 15,000 MW of new power capacity under construction, with 21,000 MW added by the end of 2025.