BR to set up solar power plants at some stations
Sunday, 22 May 2011
Munima Sultana
The Bangladesh Railway (BR) has planned to add 50 megawatt (mw) electricity to the national grid by 2012 by setting up a number of solar power plants at its various stations in six districts. "We have already chosen 35 stations and installations of the railway to set up the solar power plants," said BR Director General (DG) T K Khan. He said the power to be generated from these stations will help not only to minimise power crisis but also ensure uninterrupted power supply to the respective railway stations where the plants will be set up. Officials said a cost of Tk 17.8 billion has been fixed for the project, of which Asian Development Bank (ADB) has assured to provide Tk 16.62 billion. These solar panels have been planned to be set up in 20 railway stations of BR's east zone and in 15 stations of the west zone covering Dhaka, Chittagong, Sylhet, Khulna, Rajshahi and Rangpur districts. The BR's plan to generate 50mw of solar power has come in line with the Power Division's initiative to generate 500mw solar power from 10 different sources with the financial support of ADB aiming at reducing greenhouse gas emission and ensuring sustainable development in energy sector by generating power from renewable energy. Other than railway stations under the communications ministry, the division has invited eight other ministries to set up solar power systems in their respective working zones. An inter-ministerial meeting in connection with the plan to generate 500mw power was held on March 13 with Adviser to the Prime Minister on Energy Dr Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury in the chair.
The Bangladesh Railway (BR) has planned to add 50 megawatt (mw) electricity to the national grid by 2012 by setting up a number of solar power plants at its various stations in six districts. "We have already chosen 35 stations and installations of the railway to set up the solar power plants," said BR Director General (DG) T K Khan. He said the power to be generated from these stations will help not only to minimise power crisis but also ensure uninterrupted power supply to the respective railway stations where the plants will be set up. Officials said a cost of Tk 17.8 billion has been fixed for the project, of which Asian Development Bank (ADB) has assured to provide Tk 16.62 billion. These solar panels have been planned to be set up in 20 railway stations of BR's east zone and in 15 stations of the west zone covering Dhaka, Chittagong, Sylhet, Khulna, Rajshahi and Rangpur districts. The BR's plan to generate 50mw of solar power has come in line with the Power Division's initiative to generate 500mw solar power from 10 different sources with the financial support of ADB aiming at reducing greenhouse gas emission and ensuring sustainable development in energy sector by generating power from renewable energy. Other than railway stations under the communications ministry, the division has invited eight other ministries to set up solar power systems in their respective working zones. An inter-ministerial meeting in connection with the plan to generate 500mw power was held on March 13 with Adviser to the Prime Minister on Energy Dr Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury in the chair.