Power supply situation to be eased next year: PDB chief

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Power Development Board (PDB) has claimed that the power supply situation would be eased next year with a number of power plants coming into operation, reports UNB. PDB Chairman ASM Alamgir Kabir stated this while speaking at a roundtable on "Power: Promises, Production, Shortage and Future" organised by Ak Pakkha, a social organisation, at Dhanmondi in the city Saturday. Mahmudur Rahman Manna, Ishtiak Ahmed, Rejwanul Haque, Rejwan Kabir, Khaled Mahmud and Mollah Amzad Hossain also spoke at the roundtable while Masuda Vatti was the moderator. PDB chairman said the government had no option but to go for setting up costly rental power plants. He, however, admitted that the rental power plants have pushed the power tariff too high. "But we had no option. We need to increase power generation quickly." Mr Kabir said the government is implementing a mega plant to ensure electricity for every house by 2021 when the country would celebrate its 50 years of independence. Participants, however, expressed concern about the rising trend in electricity tariff. They said the people want uninterrupted power supply at an affordable rate, but the government is raising the tariff instead of addressing the shortage. Mr Manna said that the government should continue providing subsidy to power sector so that people could get the electricity at an affordable price.