The power grid of Bangladesh needs to be prepared immediately to accommodate sophisticated power sources like Rooppur nuclear power plant that is scheduled to evacuate 2,400 megawatts of power in the coming years.
A Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has made the suggestion in a recent study report.
It has also proposed to upgrade the national load dispatch centre, capacity development of officials and several mid- and long-term activities.
As per the Integrated Energy and Power Master Plan, multiple grid- and household-level renewable energy sources are also expected to come on line, which will further add to the complexity, it says.
The JICA has conducted the study following national grid failure and countrywide power blackout on 04 October 2022.
It revealed the findings of the study at a workshop co-hosted by the JICA and the Power Division under the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources.
The event was aimed at improving power quality through upgrading nationwide power grid frequency.
Meanwhile, a committee, constituted by the Power Grid Company of Bangladesh Ltd (PGCB) immediately after the blackout, pointed out negligence of some PGCB officials as the cause for the multiple-hour nationwide blackout.
Two PGCB officials - one assistant engineer and another sub-assistant engineer - were suspended on part of their negligence.
The duo allowed transmitting power more than the capacity of Ghorashal substation, which led to the tripping of the substation and subsequently downed most of the plants countrywide, maintained the PGCB report.
Most of the plants started tripping one after another following grid failure at 2:04 pm on October 04. Power supply, however, started restoring after evening.
Power Division senior secretary Md Habibur Rahman, Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) chairman Md Mahbubur Rahman and JICA Bangladesh chief representative Ichiguchi Tomohide, among others, were present.
azizjst@yahoo.com