Bid submission deadline Feb 3

M AZIZUR RAHMAN | Published: January 18, 2025 23:13:02

The deadline to submit bids for building a dozen grid-tied solar power plants having a total power generation capacity of 353 megawatts (MW) at various locations across the country is scheduled to end after a couple of weeks
on February 3.
State-run Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) will purchase electricity from the successful bid winners for 20 years at a fixed tariff rate, a senior BPDB official said.
Interested sponsors will have to quote at least 30 per cent of the total tariff in local currency and the remaining 70 per cent in US currency, he said.
Previously, the sponsors would quote the entire electricity tariff in US currency. They were allowed to receive payments in local currency but also had the liberty to convert the entire payment against electricity sales to US dollars, the official added.
Unlike the previous occasions, the government would not issue any state sovereign guarantee in favour of the privately-owned solar-based power plants.
As part of the move, the government has decided not to ink implementation agreements (IAs) with the future power plant sponsors, said sources.
It means that the government will not shoulder any responsibility to pay the power plant owners in case the BPDB fails to clear the dues, they added.
The 12 solar-based power projects put on tender are 10 MW at Shudharam, Noakhali, 18 MW at Hathazari, Chattogram, 20 MW at Sabujpara, Nilphamari, 25 MW at Moulvibazar, 25 MW at Bajitpur, Kishoreganj, 25 MW at Chandraghona, Rangamati, 30 MW at Ukhiya, Teknaf (Cox's Bazar), 35 MW at Nawabganj, Dhaka, 45 MW at Kurigram, 45 MW at Fatikchhari, Chattogram and 45 MW at Bhaluka, Mymensingh.
Officials said, the BPDB floated the tender to build the solar power plant projects after rejecting nearly three dozen renewable-energy projects with around 3,287-megawatt generation capacity, which were at the final stage of inking power purchase agreements (PPAs) with the BPDB.
Some 31 renewable -energy projects were initiated during the previous government and most of the project sponsors obtained letter of intent (LOI) from the Power Division under the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources (MPEMR).
But after the fall of the deposed Sheikh Hasina regime on August 5, the interim government halted further negotiations over these projects that were in the process of final approval under the Quick Enhancement of Electricity and Energy Supply (Special Provision) Act 2010.
Sources said, the successful bidders for the new 12 solar-based power plant projects will be responsible for arranging land for their respective projects.
To encourage the bidders, the interim government recently extended tax exemptions for grid-tied solar power projects.
Azizjst@yahoo.com