National | Published : 03 Oct 2017, 20:29 | Updated : 04 Oct 2017, 15:40

Massive plan for power sectors involving

$14b
By : Shazzad Hossen

The government has taken a massive plan for power sectors to generate some 7000 megawatt electricity
and strengthening transmission, distribution and gridline within five years.
Under this scheme, power division has selected 20 projects with an estimated cost of $14.5 billion under
foreign funding or contactors financing.
Power division secretary Ahmed Kaikawas told the Bangladesh post on Monday that “We have taken 20
power projects involving $14.5 billion to meet the future challenges as our country will reach middle
income country by this period. Those power projects would be implemented in between 2017 to 2022”.
“We asked the concerned authorities to work on their respective projects so that work is done in due
time,” Kaikawas added.
The power generation plan made a first lap with the striking of deal between the state-owned Rural
Power Company Limited (RPCL) and a joint venture company with Chinese state-owned Norinco
International Ltd to set up a 1320MW plant in Patuakhali.
The probable expenditure of this power plant was primarily estimated at $2 billion where Chinese state
bank EXIM Bank had agreed to cover 70 percent of the total cost. The rest will be funded by the
government.
“We have already received vetting for signing a deal for the joint-venture coal-fired power plant,” RPCL
Managing Director Md Abdus Sabur told Bangladesh Post.
The RPCL Managing Director said the both sides have already agreed to implement the power project
with equal investment.
“RPCL signed a land filling deal involving Tk 331 crore with Bangladesh Diesel Plant (BPD) Ltd for the
Patuakhali plant,” said Abdus Sabur.
The Chinese credit will carry an interest rate below four percent and a repayment period of 15 years with
a five-year grace period. The power project is expected to be completed by 2022.
The government also looking for opportunities of implementing power transmission and distribution
projects for smooth transportation of power to be added by 2022.
The state-run Power Grid Company Bangladesh (PGCB) has taken 10 projects worth Tk 30,000 crore to
install 4,129 kilometers new power transmission line in different parts of the country aiming to extend
power to new areas. Under the plan, PGCB will install a 1620 km 400 kilovolt (Kv) transmission line, a
1,617km 132Kv line and a 930km 230Kv line to build new infrastructure for distributing additional
electricity.
With the new transmission lines, the government would be able to supply 18000MW power to the
national grid by 2020. The transmission lines will be used to distribute electricity from the proposed
2,400MW Rooppur Nuclear Power plant, 1200MW Matarbari power plant, 1320MW Payra Power plant
and from some other power plants, officials said.
Meanwhile, the government has already completed a feasibility study of Matarbari power plant
transmission line and it is expected to begin installation work to the next year. Primarily, the project cost
was estimated at Tk 30,000 crore. Of the total cost, some Tk 17,666.28 crore will come as foreign aid
and the rest from the state exchequer.
Bangladesh Rural Electrification Board (BREB) took up two separate projects — the up-gradation,
rehabilitation and intensification of distribution system (Dhaka, Mymensingh, Chittagong and Sylhet
Division) and the up gradation, rehabilitation and intensification of distribution system (Rajshahi,
Rangpur, Khulna and Barisal) with funds from the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
The ADB has already confirmed funding of $600 million for one of the projects. BREB aims to ensure
electricity for all by 2018.
The Power Grid Company of Bangladesh (PGCB) initiated a new priority project to enhance the security
of the country’s power grid system and to upgrade the National Load Dispatch Centre (NLDC) at an
estimated cost of Tk 697 crore with funds from the World Bank.
PGCB also took up two other priority projects, including the Western Grid Development Project and the
Power System Network Development and Expansion project.
Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) had taken two power projects including the 400MW
Bibiyana South combined cycle plant and Khulna 330MW dual-fuel combined cycle plant with bidders’
finance, the priority projects list learned.
BPDB is also working to develop the site for Moheskhali Power hub where the government plans to
generate at least 13,560MW of electricity.
The government has a plan to set up a series power projects to generate 40,000MW electricity and
20000MW alone from coal fired power plant by 2030.

Editor-in-Chief : Sharif Shahab Uddin

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