Bangladesh`s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today said the government’s future plan is to generate 24,000 MW power by 2021 and 60,000 MW by 2041.
“The capacity of the transmission and distribution line for electricity would be improved to 21,000 circuit kilometer and 4.70 lakh kilometer respectively by 2021,” she told the House, while replying to a starred question from opposition bench member Fakhrul Imam of Mymensingh-8 in the Jatiya Sangsad.
Sheikh Hasina said that the government has a plan to generate 10 percent electricity from renewable energy source and set up 2.02 crore prepaid meter by 2021.
“We would also bring down the system loss of the electricity to a single digit and implement ICT based service to ensure customer service by 2021,” she told the House.
She said the government has been working to ensure uninterrupted power supply by setting up smart grid and underground distribution network, adding, “Process underway for constructing LNG terminal, coal terminal along with Floating Storage and Regasification Unit (FSRU) to ensure energy for power generation.”
“Implementation work for importing 2,336 MW electricity from India’s three places would begin from 2018 to 2022,” the Prime Minister said.
A total of 4,676 MW of power is waiting to be added to the national grid in this New Year. Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB or PDB) has already signed power purchase agreement with the concerned power plant companies. The cost of the newly added power might be a bit higher than that of the conventional plants as most of the newly operational power plants are fuel-oil based.
Initially, a yearly electricity production outline was planned in July last year and according to the plan, it was said to produce 2,225 MW of new power in 2018. Of the 2,225 MW power, 1,449 MW was planned to be generated from state-run plants and 803 MW power to be generated from privately owned plants.
However, in the wake of severe load-shading in last year, the yearly plan was revised. The contribution of the private sector was increased, according to the new plan. Following the plan, in 2017, the government has approved a total of 24 power plants to be built. Of these plants, 13 are about to be operational within 2018.
Out of these 13 new power plants that are about to be starting power generation from this year, 9 are state-run. These 9 plants will have an accumulated capacity of 1,655 MW. Of these, 3 are gas-fired, 3 are hybrid (dual-fuel), 1 is coal-fired, 1 is furnace oil-fired and one is solar power.
Fifteen of the power plants are yet to be built that are privately owned. Of these 7 are oil-fired, 1 is gas-based, 4 are solar, 3 are hybrid powered power plants. All these power plants will have an accumulated capacity of 1,657 MW.
Power secretary Dr. Ahmed Kaikaus said that, a series of plans are already set to enhance the power generation capacity of the country and all these plans are being well executed timely.
According to the government’s plan, 6 of the expected power plants are likely to be operational within this January. According to the implementation report, 83% construction of 365 MW Ghorasal power plant was completed so far. Under the PDB, Chinese company CMC is building this power plant.
Northwest Power Generation Company is working to establish the 225 MW power plant of Sirajganj and 86 percent progress was achieved so far of this dual fuel-based (gas or diesel) power plant. Meanwhile, 93 percent progress was achieved in implementing the 335 MW power plant of Siddhirganj. Samsung C & D is working under EGCB to build this power plant.
Apart from this, the 360 MW power plant of Bheramara has already been commissioned on an experimental basis. Marubeni Corporation is implementing this plant and the plant is also a dual fuel based power plant.
Of the privately owned power plants, the on furnace oil based 50 MW power plant of Kamalghat of Munshiganj has already been commissioned on an experimental basis. Benco Energy is implanting this project. 97 percent work is completed in implementing the 165 MW power plant of Kushiara. Kushiya Power Company Limited is setting up this gas-based plant.
Besides, initiatives are taken to import 500 MW of more electricity using Bheramara point from the private sector of India. Construction of the sub-stations that will be used to import electricity from India is now under construction. The import will commence once the installation of the sub-station is finished.
