electricity
Power cuts plague Sylhet: Frustration growing among residents and businesses
In Sylhet city, frequent power outages are affecting the daily lives of its residents and the local economy. The city has experienced severe load shedding in recent days, impacting traders and disrupting the water supply managed by the city corporation.
Experts attribute the problem to a significant shortfall in power supply. The Sylhet region faces a gap, with demand ranging from 140-160 MW against a supply deficit of 40-60 MW.
Shielding capital Dhaka from loadshedding masks reality of power cuts biting nation
The Sylhet Power Development Board's records reveal stark disparities: on April 2, demand hit 141 MW against a mere supply of 56 MW; April 3 saw demand at 120-130 MW with only 66 MW supplied; and on April 4, the supply was just 69 MW against a demand of 135 MW.
As Eid-ul-Fitr approaches, traders, in anticipation of the festive rush, have decorated their establishments, only to rely on generators amidst the frequent outages. The disruptions have also inconvenienced residents during crucial times like Sehri and Iftar.
Zakir Ahmed, a local trader from Golapganj, voiced the community's distress, stating, “General people and businesses are the worst sufferers, and we fear the power cut problems will only worsen with the summer heat.”
Echoing the sentiment, Airin Sultana Nipa, a housewife from Lala Dighirpar, shared her struggles, “The power goes out before dawn, causing water shortages at critical moments like Iftar and Sehri. It's disheartening to face such challenges.”
Days of sweltering heat, power cuts in northern India overwhelm hospitals as death toll climbs
Jarjisur Rahman Rony, an assistant engineer at the Sylhet Power Development Board, shed light on the dilemma, “We're distributing what little electricity we have. The issue isn't with the infrastructure but stems from broader economic challenges affecting power generation, such as the dollar and coal crisis, forcing us into load shedding.”
Bangladesh to provide 190 acres of land in Kurigram for Bhutanese investors; discussion to import hydropower underway
Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud on Sunday said Bangladesh will allocate 190 acres of land in Kurigram for a special economic zone for Bhutanese investors.
He said Bangladesh wants to import hydropower from Bhutan and a tripartite agreement is required to bring the electricity through India.
"We are in discussion to that end," he told reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday.
He said Bhutan has a potential of producing 25,000 megawatts of hydropower.
The Foreign Minister said Bangladesh will also import hydropower from Nepal and things are settled regarding that initiative.
Hasan said Bangladesh will construct a Burn and Plastic Surgery Unit in Thimphu as a goodwill gesture which also demonstrates the country’s capacity.
He also briefed about the visit of the Bhutanese King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck.
Three new MoUs will be signed between Bangladesh and Bhutan while another MoU on cultural exchange will be renewed, said the Foreign Minister.
The new MoUs will be on establishing a Burn and Plastic Surgery Unit in Thimphu, Specialized Economic Zone in Kurigram and technological cooperation consumers’ rights protection.
The King, along with Bhutanese Foreign, Health, Industry and Commerce Ministers and the Bhutanese Queen, is scheduled to arrive on Monday morning on a four-day visit demonstrating the strong relations that Bangladesh and Bhutan have developed steadily since 1971.
"We have multifaceted relations with Bhutan," Minister Hasan said, adding that there is scope for boosting trade through transit and signing preferential trade agreement (PTA) with Bhutan.
President Mohammed Shahabuddin and the First Lady will receive the King amid gun salute and guard of honour.
The King is scheduled to arrive at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 10 am on Monday by a special flight, a senior official told UNB.
This is going to be the first VVIP visit to Bangladesh after the formation of new government following January 7 national election.
After the ceremony at the airport, he will go to Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi 32 to pay tribute to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
On Monday afternoon, the Bhutanese King will have a meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her office. They will have a one-to-one meeting.
Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud will meet the King at his place of residence the same day before the meeting with the Prime Minister.
On Tuesday, the King will visit the National Martyrs’ Memorial at Savar.
The King will also visit Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery.
He will visit Bangabhaban where he will be received by the president and the first lady.
The King will have a meeting with the president at 4:30 pm on Tuesday.
The president will host iftar and dinner in honour of the visiting royal.
On Wednesday morning, the Queen Jetsun Pema Wangchuck and selected Bhutanese delegation members will leave Bangladesh for Bhutan by a special flight.
Bangabandhu's daughter Sheikh Rehana and Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen will see them off at the airport.
The Bhutanese King will visit Padma Bridge and Bangladesh Special Economic Zone in Araihazar, Narayanganj.
On Thursday, the King will visit Kurigram Special Economic Zone.
He will leave Bangladesh territory for Golakganj, Assam via Sonahat Land Port on Thursday afternoon.
Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury, state minister for shipping, will see him off there.
The 4th King of Bhutan, Jigme Singye Wangchuck, sent a letter of congratulations to the prime minister recently saying under her dynamic and strong leadership, Bangladesh has enjoyed peace, stability and unprecedented economic development.
He also termed Bhutan as a "close friend" and rejoiced with the people of Bangladesh on this occasion.
Bhutan was the first country to recognise the newly independent Bangladesh on December 6 in 1971 when the 3rd King of Bhutan sent a message of recognition by telegram.
Since then Bangladesh and Bhutan share a special multidimensional bilateral relationship. Immediately after the independence, the Bhutanese government took initiative to establish diplomatic relations with Bangladesh and, consequently, formal diplomatic relations was established on 12 April 1973.
Power tariff hike from February 1, not March 1
Power tariff will be increased from February 1 instead of March 1, said State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid on Thursday (February 29, 2024).
Gazette notification will be issued today in regard to the power tariff adjustment, he said while briefing reporters at his ministry.
Earlier he said the new tariff will come into effect from March 1.
He said the power tariff will be hiked between Tk 0.34 and Tk 0.70 per unit for all kinds of consumers depending on their volume of consumption while gas price will go up by Tk 0.75 per unit only for power plants.
Govt raises gas prices for power plants by Tk 0.75 per unit
He also said that a dynamic fuel pricing will be introduced for the consumers from March 1 under which price of petroleum fuel will go up and down in line with international market price.
“Each month fuel price will be declared for the consumers”, he said adding neighbouring India do this every day.
He noted that the steps have been taken to minimise the government losses caused by the increase in dollar rate. “This year the government will incur loss of Tk 43,000 crore due to sale of electricity at lower price,” he said.
This step has been taken as part of the government move to come out of the subsidy now being given to the power sector, said the minister.
According to the BPDB’s Annual Report 2022-23, the fiscal year saw the production of 87,024 million kilowatt hours of electricity at a total cost of TK 98,646 crore.
Its per unit production cost was Tk 11.33, while it was selling electricity at Tk 6.7 per unit — incurring a loss of about Tk 4.63 per unit.
Electricity price to go up from March 1: Nasrul
This imbalance has led to a staggering loss of Tk 47,788 crore for the fiscal year, as the government grapples with purchasing power from private and international sources at significantly higher rates.
With this huge loss, the government has been facing great trouble as it has to purchase electricity worth Tk 82,778 crore from private sector power producers, while it generates electricity worth Tk 13,307 crore from its own generation plants.
The annual report also shows that the BPDB’s average per unit production cost from its own plants is Tk 7.63, while it is Tk 14.62 at the independent power producers or IPPs (private sector), at rental plants Tk 12.53, at public plants Tk 6.85, and imported power from India at Tk 8.77.
The government purchases electricity from the private sector and India in dollars.
Read more: Bangladesh seeks ITFC cooperation to modernise power distribution, transmission system
Govt in dilemma over raising power tariff or floating more bonds to cut losses
The government of Bangladesh is caught up in a dilemma in choosing the right option to reduce the gap between the cost of power production and revenues generated from sales.
“Top policymakers are divided over whether the government should go for increasing the power tariff further or issuing more bonds through the banking system,” said a top official at the state-owned Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB).
He said if the government wants to raise the power tariff, either it has to do it before Ramadan or after Ramadan - these are the questions almost every day that are being discussed at the policy level.
They are also analysing the impacts of floating more bonds to reduce the burden of soaring losses on the part of BPDB, he added.
Read: Retail power tariff hiked 5% to Tk0.19 per unit for lifeline consumers, Tk0.36 on average for others
According to official sources, currently, the production of each unit of electricity costs about Tk 12 while it sells at a rate of about Tk 6.7.
It means the government has to bear the brunt of Tk 5.3 per unit, a top BPDB official told UNB.
The BPDB’s Annual Report 2022-23 shows, the BPDB, as a single buyer, generated 87,024 million kilowatt hours of electricity in 2022-23 fiscal at a total cost of TK 98,646.42 crore.
Its per unit production cost was at Tk 11.33 while it was selling electricity at Tk 6.7 per unit incurring a loss of about Tk 4.63 per unit.
The bulk tariff was last raised by 8.06 percent to Tk 6.70 from Tk 6.20 per unit on January 31 with effect from February 2023.
Read more: Over 10,000MW power in 29 projects in the pipeline, despite yawning overcapacity
Against this, its revenues were Tk 50,858.25 crore, incurring a loss of Tk 47,788.17 crore, showed the BPDB Annual Report.
With this huge loss, the government has been in great trouble as it has to purchase electricity worth Tk 82,778.25 from private sector power producers while it generates electricity worth Tk 13,306.62 crore from its own generation plants.
The annual report also shows that the BPDB’s average per unit production cost from its own plants is Tk 7.63, while it is Tk 14.62 at the independent power producers or IPPs (private sector), at rental plants Tk 12.53, at public plants Tk 6.85 and imported power from India at Tk 8.77.
The government purchases electricity from the private sector and India in dollars.
Read more: Power generation capacity increased by almost 20% to cross 30,000MW in 2023
According to official sources, the government's cumulative outstanding bills have now jumped to about $5 billion, of which the backlog amount in the power sector is about $4 billion (about Tk 43,093 crore), and the remaining $1 billion is in the energy sector.
State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid also admitted the severity of the crisis.
“Actually the crisis is not of local currency. Somehow we can manage it. But the main crisis is the dollar. We’re not getting dollars from Bangladesh Bank as per our needs,” he recently told UNB.
He noted that the power and energy sectors need at least $1 billion a month to meet payment obligations.
Read: Govt to raise retail power tariff this month
In such a situation, the government recently introduced a number of bonds through Bangladesh Bank to facilitate the BPDB to clear some dues.
“Initially, we have floated bonds worth Tk 5000 crore and it may go up to Tk 12,000 crore,” said a BPDB official on condition of anonymity, adding that it will not be enough to cover the losses, although the government is providing subsidies on a regular basis.
“That’s why the government will have to go for raising power tariff further or introducing more bonds,” he said adding, if more bonds are floated, it may squeeze the private sector’s credit from the banking sector.
But a final decision on what they would do still remains pending.
Read more: Power, energy sectors are saddled with $5 billion outstanding payment amid dollar crisis: Sources
Electricity demand may rise to about 17,500 MW in coming summer: Nasrul
State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid on Thursday said the demand for electricity may rise to about 17,500 MW in the coming summer.
He, however, said that the currently total power generation capacity is 29,727 MW including that from captive and off-grid renewable energy.
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“And the grid-based production capacity is 26,504 MW. Among them, natural gas-based production capacity is 11,350 MW (43 percent), furnace oil-based 6,492 MW (24 percent), diesel-based 826 MW (3 percent), coal-based 4,491 MW (17 percent), hydro 230 MW (1 percent ), solar power(grid) 459 MW (two percent) and imported electricity is 2656 MW (10 percent),” he said.
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The state minister said these in Parliament while responding to a written question of AL lawmaker elected from Chattogram M Abdul Latif.
In fiscal year 2022-23, he said against the demand of electricity during summer, the generation on April 19 was 15,648 MW in the peak hours.
Inflation will ease by end of current fiscal year: Finance Minister
Due to reduced demand of electricity in winter, the maximum production of electricity this year has come down to 10,000 to 12,000 MW.
How to Protect Children from Electric Shocks
In a recent distressing incident in Cumilla, seven-year-old Abdullah encountered a life-threatening situation while playing, entangled with an unimaginable 11,000-volt transmission cable running through the building's gap. Such incidents can be prevented with caution.
Electrical shocks pose a significant threat to children, especially during playtime. The allure of exploring their surroundings may unknowingly lead them into situations with high electric shock risk. Let’s take a look at some tips to keep children safe from electric shocks in and outside home.
Tips to Protect Children from Electric Shocks
Cord Management
Kids can get electrocuted through exposed cords or overloaded electrical outlets. To ensure the safety of children, it is crucial to keep electrical cords out of their reach. At home and school, it is essential to bundle and clamp cords, use cord covers, or hide running cords behind furniture.
Additionally, it is essential never to overload outlets or power strips, as this practice poses a significant fire hazard.
Read more: Helicopter Parenting: Signs, Pros, Cons and How to Change
Appliance Safety
Ensuring the safety of children involves keeping appliances, particularly those that generate heat like irons, hair dryers, toasters, etc - out of their reach. To further minimise risks, it is essential to unplug these appliances when not in use.
This practice not only prevents potential accidents associated with heat-generating appliances but also promotes energy efficiency. It also eliminates the risk of accidents when the appliances are not actively in operation.
GFCIs Installation
For enhanced safety in areas prone to water exposure, such as kitchen, bathroom, and laundry room, one may consider installing Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCIs) in the power outlets. GFCIs play a crucial role in preventing serious injuries or fatalities resulting from electric shocks.
Read more: Earthquake Safety Tips for Parents to Keep Children Safe
These devices swiftly cut off power if the system can detect a fault in the circuit, mitigating the risk of electric shock in potentially hazardous environments. Prioritising the installation of GFCIs underscores a proactive approach to electrical safety, safeguarding kids in home and school areas from the dangers associated with water and electricity interactions.
Secure Outdoor Wires
Prioritising the safety of outdoor spaces is imperative, especially concerning hanging wires outside homes or streets. To mitigate potential risks, it is crucial to ensure that all such wires are securely fastened to prevent accidental contact.
If there are hanging electric wires on open roads, near residential blocks, or schools, the children are at risk of getting electrocuted while playing. Therefore, to avoid any electrical accidents, parents, school management, and community members should inform the associated responsible authorities to take necessary measures.
Read more: Fire Safety Tips for Parents to Keep Children Safe
By eliminating the possibility of unintended contact with outdoor wires, individuals can contribute to creating safer residential areas.
Over 10,000MW power in 29 projects in the pipeline, despite yawning overcapacity
Some 29 more power generation projects, having a combined capacity of 10,881 MW are now under construction, even as the country struggles to manage the costs of overcapacity to the tune of 40 percent in the power sector.
The recently published “Annual Report 2022-23” of the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB)contains information on the under-construction 29 power generation projects.
It said, “Diversified fuel-based power generation expansion plans are adopted to meet the ever growing electricity demand in Bangladesh. As a part of these plans, 29 power generation projects of capacity 10,881 MW are now under construction, out of which, BPDB is directly implementing 5 projects of capacity 730 MW and 17 projects of capacity 4,230 MW through the IPP sector.”
The annual report further said, “The plan envisages around 20,416 MW new generation addition from July 2023 to December 2027, out of which 728 MW capacity has already been added up to September 2023.”
Many experts in the power and energy sector believe that keeping a 40 percent surplus, adding another 10,881 MW to the national grid in the next three years will further increase the burden of capacity payments, which are written into contracts with independent power producers, as the private sector players owning power plants are referred to.
Power, energy sectors are saddled with $5 billion outstanding payment amid dollar crisis: Sources
Of the total 29 projects, 5 are in the public sector while17 are in the private sector as independent power producer (IPP) projects, the annual report said. The ownership structure of the remaining 7 is not clear, with some hybrid combination possible.
According to available data, the country’s overall power generation, combining grid capacity and off-grid (mainly captive) power, increased by about 5000MW in 2023 to reach a new benchmark of 30,700MW, although with demand failing to keep up, this is expected to lead to higher capacity payments for the government.
This is disclosed in available data from the state-owned Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB), Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) and Sustainable and Renewable Energy Development Authority (Sreda).
The BPDB data shows that of the 5000MW new power generation, some 3,343MW was added to the national grid by the import electricity from India and production from newly set up local power plants while about 1400MW came from off-grid captive and off-grid solar power.
It also shows that the country’s installed grid-connected power generation capacity has reached to 25,951 MW on December 30 in 2023 from 22,608 MW in 2022 showing a capacity enhancement of 3343 MW.
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Beyond the national grid, as per BERC data, the captive power generation has increased by 1379MW to reach 4760 MW in 2023 from 3,381MW in 2022.
The captive power plants were mainly set up by industries for their own consumption to get uninterrupted power supply as the grid power does not guarantee uninterrupted supply.
Sources in the power sector said that despite more than 40 percent surplus power generation in the country, still many industries prefer to use their captive power for uninterrupted supply.
Together the new off-grid captive power and grid-connected power has pushed up the country’s total power generation capacity to 30,711 MW in 2023 from about 25,700 MW at the end of 2022.
The officials said the import of 1600 MW from India’s Adani Group and setting up of a number of coal-based new power plants played a vital role in increasing power generation by 5000 MW in a single year.
Although this capacity enhancement in power generation is a pleasing development on the face of it, especially given the country’s long history of struggle with power shortages, BPDB officials are also quick to point out that the growing surplus capacity would also lead to a rise in capacity payments, whereby IPPs get paid even for the electricity the government doesn’t need from them.
They said that the new power plants being added to the grid were set up by the IPPs, or independent power producers (the private sector firms investing in the power sector, by building and often operating the plants), and the BPDB has an obligation to purchase power from them - to not let their investment go to waste or end in loss. Having them exit the power sector due to losses would be a bigger blow to BPDB's long-term vision.
The increasing burden of capacity payments may pinch the government, as well as the consumer, harder if the dollar crisis prevailing in the country persists.
According to the Centre for Policy Dialogue, a Dhaka-based think tank, capacity payments to private, rental, and quick rental power plants have increased from Tk 5,376 crores in FY2017 to as high as an estimated Tk 28,000 crores in FY 2023.
In 2024, surplus electricity generation capacity is projected to rise to 50 percent from the existing 40 percent, as the country’s peak hour demand is about 16,000 MW, according to a top BPDB official.
It would mean even at peak demand, half the plants would be surplus to requirements, and thus lie idle.
Official sources recently said that the power and energy sectors of Bangladesh have been hit by severe cash crunch, especially the US dollars, piling up a huge backlog in payment of their import bills.
According to official sources, the sectors’ cumulative outstanding bills have now jumped to about $5 billion of which the backlog amount in the power sector is about $4 billion (about Tk 43,093 crore), and the remaining 1 billion is in the energy sector.
State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid also admitted the severity of the crisis.
“Actually the crisis is not of local currency. Somehow we can manage it. But the main crisis is of dollar. We’re not getting dollars from Bangladesh Bank as per our needs,” he told UNB in a recent interview.
Read more: Govt working on as how to use hydrogen, ammonia for power generation: Nasrul Hamid
Special bonds issued to pvt banks to clear liabilities with power plants
In a significant move to stabilize its power sector, the Bangladesh government has secured Tk 2,062 crore through the issuance of special bonds. This initiative, aimed at clearing outstanding liabilities to private power plants, involves a collaboration with two prominent private banks: City Bank and Pubali Bank.
A comprehensive agreement was inked on Wednesday at the Secretariat, marking a critical step in addressing the financial challenges faced by the power sector. As per this agreement, the government will issue bonds worth Tk 1,985 crore to City Bank and Tk 77.50 crore to Pubali Bank, as confirmed by the Ministry of Finance.
Sources reveal that the government’s inability to disburse subsidy funds had left private power plants struggling to meet their financial obligations, leading some to the brink of insolvency.
Read: Bangladesh's imports drop over 18% in first half of FY2023-24
To counter this crisis, the government’s issuance of special bonds comes with an 8 percent coupon rate, mirroring the repo rate set by Bangladesh Bank. Notably, any future fluctuations in the repo rate will correspondingly adjust the bond interest rate.
At the term’s end, the government will settle the bank dues along with interest, subsequently reclaiming these bonds. Unlike typical 15–20 year bonds, these special bonds have a maximum tenure of 10 years, a move tailored to the urgent needs of the power sector.
Key players in the power sector, including Summit Power, United Power, Confidence Power, Baraka, Kushiara, Doreen, and Akron Power, are among the beneficiaries of this initiative. The Finance Division also disclosed plans for phased agreements with other banks, including BRAC Bank and Bank Asia, to further address the sector’s liabilities.
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Reflecting on the agreement’s significance, managing directors of several banks expressed optimism. While banks can leverage these bonds with Bangladesh Bank, it provides the government with crucial financial breathing space.
This strategic financial maneuver stands as a testament to the government’s commitment to ensuring the stability and sustainability of Bangladesh’s power sector.
Power generation capacity increased by almost 20% to cross 30,000MW in 2023
The country’s overall power generation, combining grid capacity and off-grid (mainly captive) power, increased by about 5000MW in 2023 to reach a new benchmark of 30,700MW, although with demand failing to keep up, this is expected to lead to higher capacity payments for the government.
This is disclosed in available data from the state-owned Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB), Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) and Sustainable and Renewable Energy Development Authority (Sreda).
The BPDB data shows that of the 5000MW new power generation, some 3,343MW was added to the national grid by the import electricity from India and production from newly set up local power plants while about 1400MW came from off-grid captive and off-grid solar power.
Power, energy sectors are saddled with $5 billion outstanding payment amid dollar crisis: Sources
It also shows that the country’s installed grid-connected power generation capacity has reached to 25,951 MW on December 30 in 2023 from 22,608 MW in 2022 showing a capacity enhancement of 3343 MW.
Beyond the national grid, as per BERC data, the captive power generation has increased by 1379MW to reach 4760 MW in 2023 from 3,381MW in 2022.
The captive power plants were mainly set up by industries for their own consumption to get uninterrupted power supply as the grid power does not guarantee uninterrupted supply.
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Sources in the power sector said that despite more than 40 percent surplus power generation in the country, still many industries prefer to use their captive power for uninterrupted supply.
A huge number of applications remain pending with the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) to set up more captive plants.
The power generation from non-conventional, or renewable sources also witnessed an increase in 2023.
The Sustainable and Renewable Energy Development Authority (Sreda) statistics show that the solar power generation capacity reached 1200MW in 2023 from 700MW in 2022.
Of the 1200 MW, the off grid is 366.76 MW while ongrid is 601.02 MW. However, the country’s hydroelectric capacity of 230 MW is included in the Sreda statistics.
Together the new off-grid captive power and grid-connected power has pushed up the country’s total power generation capacity to 30,711 MW in 2023 from about 25,700 MW at the end of 2022.
BPDB officials said that the import of 1600 MW from the Adani Group’s plant for Bangladesh in Godda, Jharkhand, has played a major role in increasing the power generation capacity of the country.
Apart from the import, the commercial operations of a number of base-load power plants played a significant role in raising power generation capacity.
Read more: Power, energy sectors are saddled with $5 billion outstanding payment amid dollar crisis: Sources
These new power plants include 600 MW second unit of Rampal Power Plant, and 1200 MW Banshkhali power plant of S Alam Group. There is also a 200 MW Solar power plant in Khulna by Orion Group.
Although this capacity enhancement in power generation is a pleasing development on the face of it, especially given the country’s long history of struggle with power shortages, BPDB officials are also quick to point out that the growing surplus capacity would also lead to a rise in capacity payments, whereby IPPs get paid even for the electricity the government doesn’t need from them.
They said that the new power plants being added to the grid were set up by the IPPs, or independent power producers (the private sector firms investing in the power sector, by building and often operating the plants), and the BPDB has an obligation to purchase power from them - to not let their investment go to waste or end in loss. Having them exit the power sector due to losses would be a bigger blow to BPDB's long-term vision.
The increasing burden of capacity payments may pinch the government, as well as the consumer, harder if the dollar crisis prevailing in the country persists. According to the Centre for Policy Dialogue, a Dhaka-based think tank, capacity payments to private, rental, and quick rental power plants have increased from Tk 5,376 crores in FY2017 to as high as an estimated Tk 28,000 crores in FY 2023.
In 2024, surplus electricity generation capacity is projected to rise to 50 percent from the existing 40 percent, as the country’s peak hour demand is about 16,000 MW, according to a top BPDB official.
It would mean even at peak demand, half the plants would be surplus to requirements, and thus lie idle.
Read more: AL Pledges to Expand Modern Urban Facilities to Every Village in Smart Bangladesh
AL Pledges to Expand Modern Urban Facilities to Every Village in Smart Bangladesh
Ahead of the upcoming 12th National Parliamentary Election, the ruling Awami League has announced its election manifesto, committing to extend modern urban amenities to every village.
The manifesto, with the slogan “Smart Bangladesh: Visible Development, Increased Employment,” was announced by Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today (December 27, 2023) at the Pan Pacific Hotel Sonargaon in Dhaka.
The manifesto promises to enhance the quality of life in villages by providing improved roadways, communication, clean drinking water, modern healthcare and medical treatment, quality education, advanced sanitation and waste management, increased electricity and fuel supply, computer and high-speed internet facilities, and expanded markets. These initiatives aim to bring all the comforts of modern cities to every village.
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To ensure a reliable fuel supply, the party plans to continue encouraging and supporting the installation of biogas plants and solar panels on a group basis. The establishment of agricultural machinery service centers and workshops in villages will expand rural mechanization services, including machinery repair. This initiative will also provide training for rural youth and agricultural entrepreneurs, promoting productive employment.
The manifesto includes plans for private sector investment and loan support for small and marginal entrepreneurs manufacturing and marketing light machinery. In line with the economic development of villages, cultural, sports, and entertainment programs will be expanded. This approach is expected to reduce the urban migration trend among rural youth by creating self-employment opportunities within villages. The government will fully support young people's involvement in agriculture, industry, and business.
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Awami League says that during its previous tenure, roads in every upazila were improved and expanded, connecting each village to upazila headquarters and linking upazilas to district headquarters and national highways. Every village has been ensured electricity supply. Drinking water and sanitation facilities have been enhanced and will be further improved. The government has taken over the expenses of primary and secondary schools, and financial support is being provided for teachers' salaries in private schools. Hospitals with 50 beds in upazilas are being upgraded to 100-bed facilities. Community clinics are bringing healthcare services to the doorstep of rural residents. Every union now has computer and internet service centers, providing employment opportunities to rural youth and facilitating communication nationally and internationally.
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The expansion of communication, electricity, and internet services has accelerated rural production and market systems. Agricultural inputs have become more accessible, and the market for agricultural products has expanded. The extension of agricultural technology and the development of cottage and small industries are being expedited. Activities in both agricultural and non-agricultural sectors have multiplied significantly in rural areas.