ECNEC meeting to consider 11 projects today

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The Executive Commi­ttee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) will meet today (Tuesday) to consider 11 development projects including a revised one of installing 150 megawatt (mw) peaking power plant in Khulna with an additional cost of over Tk 7.39 billion (739 crore), reports UNB. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will preside over the 26th ECNEC meeting of the current fiscal year to be held at the NEC conference room in the city. Planning ministry sources said that the proposed project cost for the first revised 150mw peaking power plant in Khulna has increased by more than Tk 7.39 billion to over Tk 15.42 billion as the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has delayed giving its consent on the technical and financial evaluation reports. The project will also require additional three years' time for completion to be implemented by North-West Power Generation Company Limited (NWPGCL). The government earlier initiated installation of the power plant project in 2006 at a cost of Tk 8.032 billion. But the project cost has been currently proposed as over Tk 15.42 billion. Of the total cost, ADB is providing more than Tk 4.87 billion. The project tenure was extended due to requirement of additional time for tender evaluation and also in receiving the consent of the donor (ADB).