India's Power Secretary Subhash Chandra Garg (left) speaking at a joint press briefing after the 17th Bangladesh-India joint steering committee meeting at a city hotel on Monday. Power Division senior secretary Dr Ahmad Kaikaus was also present — Focus Bangla Bangladesh now considers exporting power to neighbouring India to utilise the unused electricity.
The Joint Steering Committee (JSC) of the two countries discussed the issue Monday to strengthen bilateral electricity trade in future.
The 17th committee meeting between the two countries was held at the Intercontinental Hotel in Dhaka.
Power secretary Ahmed Kaikaus and his Indian counterpart Subhash Chandra Garg talked with reporters after the meeting.
Bangladesh will consider exporting surplus electricity since the country's overall electricity generation sometimes exceeds demands, said Mr Kaikaus.
Bangladesh's de-rated electricity production was 9,183 megawatts (MWs), or less than half the capacity of 18,446 MWs during off-peak hour (day time) on August 25, according to statistics of the state-run Power Development Board.
The overall electricity generation during peak hour (night time) on Sunday was 11,814 MWs, which is around 64 per cent of the generation capacity.
The country's highest electricity generation so far was recorded at 12,893 MWs, which is around 70 per cent of the total de-rated electricity generation capacity.
The PDB has kept a significant number of power plants idle due to the lower electricity demand.
During winter, the volume of surplus electricity reaches almost two-thirds of the country's overall electricity generation capacity during off-peak hours.
In the committee meeting, Bangladesh also informed India about its plan not to import electricity through Tripura anymore.
If more electricity from Tripura is imported to meet the demand for central Cumilla and the surrounding areas, the low-cost gas-fired power plants there would require to be closed, said Mr Kaikaus.
If necessary, electricity will be imported to meet the demand for the northeastern region.
Currently Bangladesh imports around 1,160 MWs of electricity from India, of which 1,000 MWs are imported through Bheramara and 160 MW through Tripura.
Both sides also discussed the prospects of importing additional 340 MWs of electricity from India and the potential of the private sector's involvement in bilateral electricity trade during the meeting.
The meeting also discussed Bangladesh's proposed import plan for electricity from Nepal through India and joint investment plan of both India and Bangladesh along with Bhutan in a proposed hydropower plant in Bhutan and import the electricity to Bangladesh through India.
The committee meeting also discussed relieving Bangladesh of import tariffs like customs duties, taxes and value added tax.
Both the countries also discussed the prospects of building new power plants in India by the Bangladesh India Friendship Power Company Ltd and expressed satisfaction over the progress of Rampal 1,320 MW thermal power plant.
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