The government has set a target to generate more than 17,000 megawatts (MW) of electricity by 2023. If the target is met, the country’s total net electricity generation capacity will be 29,869 MW, while maximum demand of electricity will be approximately 20,697MW at the time, a Power Development Board (PDB) official said.
The country has witnessed an unprecedented development in the power sector in last one decade. And it has been possible due to the real-time sustainable planning and initiatives undertaken by the government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. According to the Power Division, in 2009, when the AL-led government assumed office, the nation was suffering from chronic power supply crisis. The average power demand at the time was about 6,000 MW while power generation capacity of the country was less than 5000MW. Now the generation capacity has increased to 18,905 MW. The access to electricity was 47 percent and now it is 94 percent.
The PDB official said, maximum electricity demand will be 14,757MW by next year, whereas the country’s net electricity generation capacity will be 22,233MW. Similarly, in 2021, maximum demand will be 16,823MW and generation capacity, 23,968MW. In 2022, maximum demand 18,731MW and generation capacity 27,186MW. The country’s electricity demand will be 20,697MW and generation capacity will reach 29,869MW in 2023.
Official sources said, at present 48 power plants are under construction with a capacity of 15,935MW. Of these, the government is constructing 16 power plants with a total capacity of 8512MW. Rest of the 30 power plants with capacity of 7423MW are being constructed by private companies. The work progress of the power plants is at different stages from 2 percent to 96 percent. It is expected that the first mega project at Payra in Patuakhali of 1300MW will come into operation this year.
Power Division hopes that 43 power plants will be completed by 2023 and its total generation capacity is 11,701MW. Besides, more 1447MW of electricity will be added to the national grid at the time. To this end, Letter of Intent (LOI) has been issued to 10 private power plants and Notification of Award (NOA) has been issued to a public power plant. Another 10 power plants with 905 MW of generation capacity is under tender process. On the other hand the government had taken up a plan to import 1836MW of electricity from India by 2022.
However, Rooppur Nuclear Power plant with two units, with a total capacity of 2,400 MW is under construction at Rooppur of Pabna. The construction work is going on fast. It is expected that the first unit with capacity of 1200MW will go into operation by 2023, and the second unit of the same capacity, by 2024.
State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources, Nasrul Hamid said, “It is essential to take initiatives on short, mid and long term basis for development. We have already attained success in short and mid-term projects in the past one decade. Now, our goal is to implement the long-term plans. The government is working toward that goal.”
“Steps have been taken to increase the generation capacity of old and inefficient power plants through re-powering,”said PDB officials. Power Cell Director General (DG) Mohammad Hossain told Bangladesh Post, the government has taken up and is implementing a comprehensive action plan for the development of the power sector. As a result, the rise in economic growth, the growth in the industrial sector, and rapid progress in urbanization has been achieved. The demand for electricity is increasing.
The Power Cell official said, the present government is committed to turning Bangladesh into a middle-income country by 2021, and by 2041 aiming to transforming it into a developed country. For that, Bangladesh needs to generate 24,000MW, 40,000 MW and 60,000 MW by 2021, 2030 and 2041respectively.
