UNB, Dhaka :
The government’s move to import 500 MW of electricity from Indian private sector is unlikely to see any breakthrough before mid-2017.
According to official sources, the state-owned Power Development Board (PDB) will solidify the move once the construction of a separate substation which will require about 2 years time is completed.
“That’s why the whole process of the proposed import of 500 MW of electricity in addition to the existing one is getting delayed,” chief engineer (planning) of the PDB Mizanur Rahman told UNB.
On several occasions in the past, New Delhi gave its consent to Dhaka’ s proposal to import 500 MW of electricity from its private sector in addition to the import of the existing 500 MW one.
India’s firm consent came from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his Dhaka visit in June this year.
Earlier, Indian power secretary PK Sinha expressed his country’s positive gesture to this proposal during a joint steering committee meeting
of the both countries in Dhaka in May this year. Upon the receipt of the Indian go-ahead signal, Bangladesh moved to materialise the project. In this case, it had to first undertake a project to build a separate grid substation alongside its existing substation in Bheramara point where Dhaka receives power from India.
At present, the existing substation is being utilised for the import of 500 MW of power from Indian state-owned power plants. “But the new substation will be used for the import of Indian private companies’ power,” said Mizanur Rahman. He also informed that state-owned Power Grid Company of Bangladesh (PGCB) has been engaged to implement the project to set up the substation.
The government’s move to import 500 MW of electricity from Indian private sector is unlikely to see any breakthrough before mid-2017.
According to official sources, the state-owned Power Development Board (PDB) will solidify the move once the construction of a separate substation which will require about 2 years time is completed.
“That’s why the whole process of the proposed import of 500 MW of electricity in addition to the existing one is getting delayed,” chief engineer (planning) of the PDB Mizanur Rahman told UNB.
On several occasions in the past, New Delhi gave its consent to Dhaka’ s proposal to import 500 MW of electricity from its private sector in addition to the import of the existing 500 MW one.
India’s firm consent came from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his Dhaka visit in June this year.
Earlier, Indian power secretary PK Sinha expressed his country’s positive gesture to this proposal during a joint steering committee meeting
of the both countries in Dhaka in May this year. Upon the receipt of the Indian go-ahead signal, Bangladesh moved to materialise the project. In this case, it had to first undertake a project to build a separate grid substation alongside its existing substation in Bheramara point where Dhaka receives power from India.
At present, the existing substation is being utilised for the import of 500 MW of power from Indian state-owned power plants. “But the new substation will be used for the import of Indian private companies’ power,” said Mizanur Rahman. He also informed that state-owned Power Grid Company of Bangladesh (PGCB) has been engaged to implement the project to set up the substation.
