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Total electrification of Bangladesh by 2020 |
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February 19, 2001
Dhaka--(UNB) – Efforts are underway to cut government-planned time frame by eight years to 2012 for bringing total population of the country under electricity coverage, a workshop was told here yesterday (Sunday). The Fifth Five-Year Plan envisaged total electrification of the country by the year 2020. The existing power facilities do not cover 70 per cent of the population. “We intend to generate 5,000 megawatt power by the year 2002 against the estimated demand of 4,200 MW,” State Minister for Planning Dr Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir told the inaugural session of the workshop. At present, the total power generation capacity stood at around 3000 MW. Power Division of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources and Infrastructure Investment Facilitation Centre (IIFC) jointly organised the workshop on “Private Sector Participation in Small Power Generation and Distribution” at the LGED Bhaban. Alamgir said the power sector of the country did not grow to the extent of expectation due to the donors’ prescription in late 50s to get rid of the private sector. The decision is now considered not good for the nation. “In light of the experience, we opened the private sector to generate power and are encouraging setting up of large-scale power plants,” he said. Besides, he added, the government formulated a policy guideline for Small Power Plants (SPP) in 1998 to set up generation plants up to the capacity of 10 MW on build-own-operate (BOO) basis. In accordance with the policy, private entrepreneurs are allowed to generate power for their own consumption as well as to sell their surplus production, the planning minister said. “It will facilitate development of power stations locally.” Referring to the past experiences, he said it would be more profitable to generate power in the private sector compared to the public sector as the private sector can do away with extra management cost. So far, 70 sponsors have expressed their interest to set up small power plants under the policy, the meeting was informed. Four sponsors have prepared project proposals with a provision to sell power to the customers contracted by them. More investors are now expected to come forward to avail the opportunity created under the provisions of the SPP policy. The minister called upon the private entrepreneurs to take up with the government the problems they face while establishing a power project for finding a suitable solution. “If we cannot improve the power situation, the target of developing export processing zones and industrial parks would not be achieved,” he said. The initiatives already taken by the private entrepreneurs would also face setback and the country’s irrigation would suffer, he added. Addressing the function, Power Division secretary Arabinda Kar said a route map for the sector has been developed to bring the whole country under power coverage by the year 2012. Over three crore people has so far come under the coverage through 31 lakh connections - 17 lakh given under the present government, he said. As per official calculation, one power connection covers 10 people. It is not possible for the government to bring the remaining 70 per cent people under the coverage, he said explaining the reason for opening the sector to private entrepreneurs. |