Tk2,272cr Project Initiated to Boost Power Distribution Capacity

The government has initiated a big move to implement a Tk 2,272.47 crore project to increase the power distribution capacity of the Dhaka Electric Supply Company Limited (DESCO) in a bid to ensure sustainable and reliable power supply to its clients, reports BSS.

DESCO under the Power Division will implement the project titled "Dhaka Power System Expansion and Strengthening Project in DESCO Areas" by December 2025.

"This draft project is scheduled to be placed before the meeting of the ECNEC tomorrow (Tuesday)," said a Planning Commission official.

ECNEC Chairperson and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will preside over the meeting.

The official informed that out of the total project cost of Tk 2,272.47 crore, the government will provide Tk 446.50 crore, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) will provide Tk 1,231.54 crore as loan while the rest of Tk 594.42 crore will come from the concerned organisation's own fund.

Talking to BSS, member of the Planning Commission (industry and energy division) AKM Fazlul Haque said that under the project, around 2,00,000 new power connections would be provided in the project areas while reliable power supply would be ensured for the existing consumers.

"Once the project is implemented, system loss will be reduced to a big extent while it will also be possible to meet the growing demand in the industry-prone and densely populated project areas," he said.

Fazlul Haque also informed that the capacity of the existing power substations would be increased through reorganisation of power load side by side the power distribution capacity 33KV voltage level would be upgraded to 720/1080MVA while that of the 11KV voltage level to 595MVA.

The project area covers Airport, Bashundhara, Mirpur Ceramics, Mirpur Swapnagar Residential Area, Baridhara and Rupayan City in Uttara, Tongi under Gazipur City Corporation, and Purbachal under Rupganj of Narayanganj.

Another official at the Planning Commission informed that around 400 kilometre areas under Dhaka North City Corporation, Tongi and Purbachal are under the jurisdiction of DESCO.

"Since these areas are densely populated and industry-prone, the demand for power is growing day by day there. Under the existing power distribution system, most of the power substations and distribution lines are overloaded. As a result, low voltage problems are often seen at the consumer level while the intensity of system loss also increases," the official added.

The official also said once the project is implemented, it would be possible to ensure reliable and uninterrupted power supply through strengthening the power distribution network and reducing system loss at the clients’ level.

The main project operations include establishment of four 132/33/11KV GIS grid substations and another four 33/11KV GIS distribution substations, erection of 30 kilometre 132KV (double circuit) underground transmission line, erection of 150 circuit kilometre 11KV and 33KV underground line, overhauling of 150 kilometre overhead power distribution network, installation of 100 11KV Ring Main Unit (RMU), installation of 750 three phase 11/0.4KV distribution transformers, and installation of another 70 single phase 11/0.23KV distribution transformers.