The country’s power generation capacity has increased by four-fold over the past decade while the electricity transmission and distribution system lags behind resulting power disruption in different areas.
To resolve the crisis, the government is now focusing on transmission and distribution system of electricity.
Initiatives have been taken to close inefficient power plants with a total capacity 3000MW in phases by 2022 to reduce power generation cost with efforts to increase uses of renewable energy, officials at Power Division said.
In order to build a modern power transmission system, the government made some 70 percent of the power sector allocation for the distribution and transmission in 2020-21 fiscal with earmarking Tk 7,500 crore.
Engineer Mohammad Hossain, director general of Power Cell, told Bangladesh Post “The nation suffered from chronic power supply crisis when the Awami League-led government assumed office in 2009.
“At that time we focused on power generation to meet the demands. We are now self-sufficient in power generation. Previously, severe load shedding disrupted people’s lives, factories’ production. But the problem no longer exists,” he said.
“We wanted a surplus in electricity generation and we succeeded. Now incidents like load shedding occurs occasionally due to problems in transmission and distribution system. So we are now focusing on improving the power distribution and transmission system,” he continued.
Replying to a query, Hossain said that they are moving forward according to their plan.
“Demand of electricity suddenly decreased due to the corona situation. Old power plants with low efficiency will be gradually shut down and the rental power plants that will expire will be closed too since we have no shortage of electricity,” he said.
Officials said the state-owned Power Grid Company of Bangladesh is implementing 25 projects for reliable and quality power transmission along with efficient and effective management of national power grid. Besides, it has taken initiative to implement 8 more projects in future.
“There has been a lot of improvement in power generation in the country. Our generation capacity surpasses our demand. For now, there is no need to increase the generation capacity,” energy expert professor Dr. Izaj Hossain told Bangladesh Post.
“The government must pay attention to the transmission and distribution system to ensure uninterrupted power supply,” he insisted.
“Currently, there are 3,000-megawatt captive power plants in various factories, set up by themselves. If the transmission system improves, the government can sell this 3,000-megawatt power to them and the both win,” Izaj Hossain said.
Bearing in mind the slogan of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on electricity for all households, the government has set a target to generate 24,000 megawatts electricity by 2021, 40,000 megawatts by 2030, and 60,000 megawatts by 2041.
Currently 97 percent people are under electricity coverage. Before the scheduled time, the government wants to ensure electricity for all by this year.