Providing 2.6m new electricity connections in 3 yrs targeted

---

FHM Humayan Kabir
The government has set a target of providing over 2.6 million new electricity connections by installing 50,000 kilometres of distribution lines throughout the country in three years despite substantial shortfall in the existing generation level, officials said.
In the next poverty reduction strategy paper (PRSP), the government has taken the "ambitious" target of expanding the distribution lines although the power generation is lower than the existing demand, an official of the power division said.
The PRSP for the financial year (FY) 2009 to FY2011 is now waiting for approval of the government's highest body --National Economic Council (NEC). The planning ministry has almost finalised the draft document.
"The PRSP has set a target of generating 1700-megawatt (MW) additional electricity in its three years implementing period. But what kind of fuel will be used for generation has not been mentioned," the official said.
The gas-fired power plants are now getting about 610-630 million cubic feet of gas per day (mmcfd) against the demand for over 800 mmcfd to run the plants efficiently. The lower level of gas supply has decreased the power generation by about 400MW a day.
"Besides, there will be a requirement for substantial funds for implementing the power development plan in the PRSP. But there is no indication in the document from where the fund will be mobilised," the official said.
A planning ministry official said according to the PRSP document the Rural Electrification Board (REB) would connect 2.0 million new consumers by expanding 40,000 km of distribution lines from FY2009-2011.
The Power Development Board (PDB) will give 0.4 million new connections until FY2011 by expanding 6,000km of distribution lines.
Similarly, other power distributing agencies -Dhaka Electricity Distribution Company Ltd (DESCO) and West Zone Power Distribution Company Ltd. will connect a total of 0.2 million consumers by installing 4,000km of distribution lines, the official said.
Power secretary M Fouzul Kabir said the power generation and distribution line expansion target in the upcoming PRSP will not be ambitious as the power division will be able to add some 1000MW additional electricity to the national grid by 2009.
"We've no problem in power generation as there are many projects in the pipeline. But we have a problem of primary energy to fuel the generators and insufficient transmission and distribution lines", he said.
"Had we adequate energy for running the power generators, we would have been able to generate required electricity to meet the growing demand until FY2011," he said adding "fuel constraint could hamper our plan."
Mr. Kabir said: "As some of our power plants are inefficient for their old age, there could be 200-300MW electricity shortage per day even after adding the planned 1700MW additional power."
Country's existing power plants have an installed capacity of about 5400MW whereas those are generating only 3400MW to 3700MW per day in the peak hours.
Mr. Kabir said since the rural people have their rights for getting power, we have taken the target in the PRSP of expanding about 2.0 million new connections under the REB.
"It is not ambitious. If we get adequate fuel supply we will be able to generate adequate power and meet demands of all consumers," he said.
Power division official said the REB expanded 6000km distribution lines in the rural areas over the last few years but failed to give electricity connections there due to shortage of power supply.