Cabinet body approves six solar, wind power projects

The government has approved proposals for setting up six power plants that would generate 257 megawatts (MW) of electricity from renewable sources.
A meeting of the Cabinet Committee on government procurement, chaired by Finance Minister A M A Muhith, approved the proposals on Monday.
The minister, however, felt that holding such a meeting five days before the national polls would not be a violation of electoral rules.
Of the six plants, five will use solar energy and the remaining one will use wind energy for power generation.
The government will purchase electricity from the plants at a rate of around Tk 9.0 per kilowatt during the next 20 years.
According to Cabinet Division officials, a joint venture company will establish a 100-MW solar power plant in Jamalpur district at a cost of Tk 25.65 billion.
Besides, a consortium of two German companies and one Bangladeshi company will set up a 47-MW solar power plant in Panchagarh district at a cost of Tk 13.71 billion.
Another solar plant with 50-MW will be installed in Nilphamari district, 20-MW in Panchagarh, and 10-MW in Moulvibazar.
Besides, another consortium of three Indian companies will set up a 30-MW wind power plant in Feni at a cost of Tk 2.85 billion.
The cabinet committee meeting also approved the proposals regarding purchase of 10,000 distribution transformers, tenure extension for gas-well drilling work, and mud and completion fluid chemicals procurement, among others.
Prime Minister's Energy Affairs Adviser Dr Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury and State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid attended the meeting, among others.

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