Closure of 10 Plants Not to Affect Power Supply: Nasrul

State Minister for Power, Energy, and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid today assured that the electricity supply will remain unaffected after closure of 10 coal-based power plants.

“Electricity supply to Dhaka, Mymensingh and Rangpur will not be affected after closure of 10 coal-based power plants as there is a surplus power generation now,” he said while briefing reporters at his ministry conference room.

The state minister said authorities will coordinate the supply power to Dhaka, Mymensingh and Rangpur regions from the national grid as their respective the demands and deficits.

He said the government has canceled the approval of 10 coal-fired power plants as the construction progresses of those power plants were not satisfactory.

The coal-fired power projects are-1,320MW Patuakhali coal-based power plant, 1,200 MW Uttarbanga Super Thermal Power Plant in Gaibandha, 522 MW coal-based power plant at Mawa, 282 MW coal-based power plant in Dhaka, 282 MW coal-based power plant in Chattogram, 565 MW coal-based power plant in Khulna, 1,320 MW coal-based power plant at Moheskhali, 1,320 MW coal-based power plant at Moheskhali, 700 MW Bangladesh-Singapore coal-based ultra-super critical power plant and 1,200 MW CPGCL-Sumitomo Corporation joint-venture plant.

The state minister said despite the cancellation of those projects, there will be no problem in power supply, adding, “Area based electricity generation will be given priority in future.”

“To expand trade and business, price of electricity and fuel must be kept at an affordable level. Low cost power generation is one of the challenges,” he said.

Nasrul said hydropower will be imported from Nepal and Bhutan and the matter is almost final.

“We have to increase use of LNG in power generation. We have a plan to generate 40 percent power from renewable energy sources by 2041,” he added.

Source: BSS