The Power Division under the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources (MPEMR) has set a target to increase the country's electricity generation capacity by around 40 per cent to 14,000 megawatts (MW) by June, 2015.
Under the target spelt out in the Annual Development Programme (ADP) it will generate 300 MW of electricity from renewable sources during the next fiscal year (FY).
The government would move fast to generate electricity using imported liquefied natural gas (LNG) due to a natural gas shortage.
Initiatives to install the country's first nuclear power plant at Rooppur in Pabna having the generation capacity of 1,000 MW would be intensified during the next fiscal year.
The Power Division also spelt out the target that system loss in electricity supply would be reduced to 11.42 per cent from the existing 12.18 per cent.
The government would continue its effort to diversify the sources of electricity generation, focusing on diesel, furnace oil, coal, dual-fuel, renewable energy and nuclear energy, to cope with the short supply of natural gas.
It has also targeted to build new electricity transmission and distribution lines and rehabilitate and renovate the existing ones.
The government would also continue activities to replace the existing digital post-paid electricity meters by pre-paid ones across the country.
It has also planned to establish the Sustainable & Renewable Energy Development Authority (SREDA) to implement different renewable energy-related programmes.
Besides, it has planned to continue distribution of energy saving bulbs by replacing conventional ones to reduce electricity consumption.
Finance Minister A M A Muhith has earmarked Tk 92.73 billion, up by 16.63 per cent from the previous year's revised allocation of Tk 79.51 billion, to carry out the development work in the power sector.
Currently the country's electricity generation capacity is over 10,000 MW, but the electricity supply hovers around 6,500 MW against the demand for around 11,000 MW.
The state-owned electricity distribution companies are enforcing load-shedding three to five hours a day to cope with the supply shortage.