200MW electricity to be added to national grid from tomorrow

The total electricity generation capacity of Bangladesh will be 13,301 MW by the end of this year with the addition of 200MW to the national grid from tomorrow (April 27).
"The national grid would get 200MW from April 27 from Ashuganj Modular Power Plant while another 150 MW has already been added," managing director of Ashuganj Power Station Company Limited Engineer Nurul Alam told BSS Saturday.
He said Ashuganj Power Company Limited, the second largest power station of Bangladesh, is currently generating around 980 MW electricity to feed the national grid.
Prime minister Sheikh Hasina is expected to inaugurate the plant. The construction of 75 combined cycle power plants would be completed soon, while 150 simple cycle power plants are already in operation, officials said.
The Awami League government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has a target to generate 20,000 MW electricity aimed at bringing all citizens under the coverage of electricity within the Vision 2021, they said.
The government has already taken various projects to improve power generation aimed at providing electricity to all citizens by 2021 at reasonable prices.
Officials said the electricity generation capacity has already reached 11,265 MW from only 3,268 MW in 2009 and the government has given top priority to the development of the sector considering its importance in the overall development of the country.
Besides, the country experienced a record production of electricity amounting to 7,571 megawatt (MW) this month, they said.
With the new power generation, the government is expecting to produce 13,301 MW electricity by the end of this year. Currently, the country's 70 per cent people have access to electricity and this has been possible due to the bold and dynamic leadership of prime minister Sheikh Hasina.
According to the officials, the government has raised generation of power, expanded transmission, distribution lines and improved capacity of other sectors aimed at achieving the desired economic growth to become a middle income country by 2021.
Meanwhile, Indian company-Reliance Group- proposed to invest US Dollar three billion in the country to set up four power plants with a total generation capacity of 3,000MW.
Bangladesh is now importing power from India, while talks are on for importing electricity from Nepal and Bhutan under sub-regional cooperation.