The government has a plan to supply electricity in all households and undertaken multifaceted steps to bring cent percent citizen under electricity coverage by 2021.
“The electricity generation capacity reached to 11,459MW now from 3,268MW in 2009, with around 70 per cent of the population having access to electricity,” an official of power, energy and mineral resources ministry told BSS here on Saturday.
He said the government has given top priority to the sector for strengthening and boosting the country’s national economy and thus generating employment opportunities. The government is expecting to generate 13,301MW power at the end of this year.
“The government under dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has achieved successes in the power sector during the last six years and the power generation capacity reached more than double,” the official said.
According to the ministry sources, the government has undertaken a number of projects to generate 20,000 megawatt (MW) electricity by using 53 per cent coal by 2021 as currently power plants have been using 41 per cent natural gas as primary energy in the power sector in the country.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina recently said over the last six years of her government, 68 new power plants have so far been constructed which is a rare example in Bangladesh history.
The sources said the government is importing 500 MW of power from India initially, while a process is underway to import more 600 MW of power, including 100 MW from Agartala.
Besides, the government signed South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Framework Agreement for Energy Cooperation (electricity) to import hydroelectricity from Nepal and Bhutan.
India’s Reliance Group also proposed to invest US$ 3 billion to set up four power plants with a total generation capacity of 3,000 megawatt. It offered to invest $1.5 billion initially, and through the investment, they will set up an LNG-based power plant with 750-MW capacity in the first phase.
The source said the government augmented generation of power, expanded transmission, distribution lines and improved capacity of other sectors aimed at achieving the desired economic growth to become a middle income country by 2021.
