ZCZC
BSS-30
POWER-PLANT-DEMAND
38 power plants with 14,115MW under construction
DHAKA, June 6, 2021 (BSS) – Construction works for 38 power plants with a generation capacity of 14,115 MW are underway and contracts have been signed for another 20 power plants with a capacity of 2,961 MW to meet the growing demand.
“Power generation at the moment is 5 times higher compared to that in 2009. The total electricity generation capacity reached (including captive and renewable energy) 25,227 MW,” State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid told BSS.
He said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s pledge is to supply electricity to every household through integrated development of production, transmission and distribution system, and 99 percent people have been brought under power coverage.
“With sagacious and timely steps by bold and visionary leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the country has achieved an unprecedented success in power generation during the last 12 years,” Nasrul said.
Besides, 6 power plants with a capacity of 650 MW are in the process for tender and construction of 33 power plants with a capacity of 15,019 MW has been approved, he added.
In the budget speech, finance minister AHM Mustafa Kamal said Bangladesh has already been graduated into a lower-middle-income country from the low income country.
“To ensure the transition from lower-middle-income to upper-middle income by 2031 and high-income by 2041 as envisioned in the Perspective Plan 2021-2041, there is no alternative to ensuring the provision of quality energy and power supply in view of the rising demand for power and energy to implement necessary socio-economic activities,” he said.
Kamal said due to the strict measures taken by the government led by dynamic and visionary leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the system loss in electricity has reduced from 14.33 percent to 8.73 percent.
“It is a well-known fact that one of the driving forces of Bangladesh’s sustainable economic growth is the provision for uninterrupted supply of electricity,” he added.
Apart from this, construction works of mega-projects like Rampal 1,320 MW coal-based Maitri Super Thermal Power Plant project, Matarbari 1,200 MW Ultra-super Critical Power Plant project and Rooppur 2,400 MW nuclear power plant project, taken by the government in the power sector, are going on.
On the other hand, commercial power generation has been started from 1,320 MW thermal power plant at Payra. At present, 722 MW of electricity is being generated from renewable energy. Solar power plants and wind power plants are being installed to generate 10 percent of the total electricity demand of the country from renewable energy.
The government is working to lay all distribution lines and substations underground in the metropolitan area to modernise the power system. Plan was taken to increase number of transmission lines to 28,000 km and distribution lines to 6.60 lakh km by 2030.
“We expect that through implementation of these projects, it will be possible to meet the growing demand for transmission and distribution of electricity throughout the country ensuring energy security,” the finance minister said.
BSS/SPL/SAS/GA/1832 hrs