Considering electric power as a vital necessary for a variety of domestic, commercial and industrial applications, Bangladesh's distant Monpura island will soon be illuminated as state-owned West Zone Power Distribution Company Limited (WZPDCL) is going to set up a 3MW solar hybrid power plant on this beautiful island.
The plan to illuminate the remote upazila ‘Monpura’ will be executed within the ‘MujibBarsho’, the centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's birth. Once completed the power plant will ensure uninterrupted electricity supply to 18 thousand families with more than 1 lakh people, officials said.
Monpura is one of the remotest islands situated in Bhola district in the southern part of Bangladesh. The island is most popular among the travelers for its panoramic natural beauty. However, electricity is one of the main obstacles to economic prosperity of the potential area.
People used to depend mostly on biomass (wood, straw, animal manure, forest debris etc) and liquid fuels like kerosene and diesel to meet their lighting demand. Liquid fuel, such as kerosene and diesel, are expensive and burning such fuels emits carbon and other health hazardous things to the atmosphere.
Although a number of households have been using Solar Home Systems (SHSs) and solar mini grid for lighting their homes, many cannot afford it as it is expensive. Through SHS only light can be used for 3-4 hours at night. Besides some people are getting electricity facility for 8 hours through diesel generator of WZPDCL.
Western Renewable Energy Limited (WREL), a private company, will set up the new power plant as Build, Own and Operate (BOO) Basis. WZPDCL will purchases electricity from the IPP (Independent Power Producer) and supply it to the consumers with subsidy.
The installed capacity of the plant is 4.6MW and it will generate 3MW of electricity. Consumers will get electricity from the solar PV module in presence of sunlight. However, a total of 8000 life cycle with 22 yearsperformance Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) battery will be used here to supply uninterrupted electricity at night or in absence of sunlight. Besides, there will also be a 1.25 MVA diesel generator as a backup for rainy and foggy days.
Power Secretary Sultan Ahmed said Monpura is a potential Island. However, being the farthest area from the national grid, the people are deprived of the full benefits of electricity. At present, WZPDCL is providing 8 hours daily electricity facility to the people through subsidized generators, thanks to the authority. WZPDCL is setting up a hybrid power plant on Monpura Island through renewable energy, keeping in view the Prime Minister's goal of 100 per cent electrification. Once completed the power plant will enable about 18,000 families in Monpura, including 5,000 non-electrified consumers, to enjoy uninterrupted power supply 24 hours. As a result, the quality of life of the people of the area will improve.
WDPDCL Managing Director Engineer Md. Shafique Uddin told The Bangladesh Post that the distance of National Grid from Monpura is about 95 km. Considering the overload, voltage drop and line distance of the existing network, it will not be possible to supply quality power. WZPDCL has adopted the Solar Hybrid Power Project to supply quality power to the region during the ‘MujibBarsho’.
“The power plant will save the cost of power generation and operation of the existing WZPDCL’s diesel generator and all customers will get uninterrupted power supply 24 hours a day instead of 8 hours. In future, if a grid substation is set up in Char Fashion, electricity will be provided from the national grid through submarine cable to Monpura. The current solar hybrid project has been designed which will be integrated with the national grid in the future,” he added.
Project Director Engineer Motiur Rohman told The Bangladesh Post “Honorable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina instructed the concerned authority to supply reliable and uninterrupted electricity for every house at an affordable price. To this end, we have submitted an unsolicited proposal to the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources to build ‘Monpura 3 MW (AC) Solar-Diesel-Hybrid’ Power Project. Hopefully all the formalities will be over by this month. And this project will be completed in the next 5 months.”
“Currently, in Hazirhat Union of Monpura, a diesel generator operated by WZPDCL provides electricity to about 900 consumers for 8 hours daily at an average production cost of about Taka 37 per unit. In addition to the solar mini grid system, some customers are getting electricity at Taka 30 per unit. It is so costly and people are not getting uninterrupted electricity through diesel generator and solar system. Through the new power plant, customers will get uninterrupted electricity at the same price for all others users in accordance with the tariff of the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission,” he continued.
Motiur further said capacity payment is included in the existing diesel based IPP power plants purchased by the Bangladesh Power Development Board. As a result, even if the power plant is off for certain period in a month, the sponsor is given a capacity charge at a fixed rate. However, WZPDCL's brand new technology project has no such provision for the sponsor. Instead, the sponsor must have to generate 334,000 units of electricity per month. Otherwise, they will have to pay at Taka around 12,352 per hour to WZPDCL as compensation.