ECNEC to consider two power distribution projects today

The government has taken initiatives to extend power distribution lines in Rangpur and Rajshahi divisions to give some 0.415 million (4.15 lakh) new power connections.
"The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) in its Tuesday's meeting is likely to consider two separate projects in this regard," said a senior Planning Commission official, reports BSS.
ECNEC Chairperson and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will preside over the meeting to be held at the NEC Conference Room in the city.
The official said both the projects aim at ensuring hundred per cent electrification by 2021 in the project areas, strengthening and improving further the power distribution system to provide uninterrupted power supply for every user by 2030, improving the socio-economic conditions of people in the project areas and providing improved client services.
The Rangpur division power distributions line and substations extension and rehabilitation project will be implemented by the Northern Electric Supply Company (NESCO) Limited under the Power Division with an estimated cost of over Tk 11.23 billion (Tk 1,123.85 crore).
The project is scheduled to be implemented by June, 2022. The project will be implemented at 21 city corporation, pourasabha (municipality) and upazila areas under eight districts of Rangpur division.
The project will also increase the capacity by 220 MVA and some 0.18 million (1.80 lakh) new power connections will be provided.
The main project operations include erection of some 3,192 kilometres (km) new power connections, renovation of the existing 1,739 km old lines, standard up-gradation and rehabilitation of some 10 33/11 KV sub-stations, installation of 4,326 distribution transformers and some 368 11KV capacitor banks.
The Planning Commission official said that Rajshahi Division distribution line and substation extension and rehabilitation project will be implemented also by the NESCO under the Power Division with an estimated cost of over Tk 10.91 billion (Tk 1,091.32 crore).
The project is scheduled to be completed by June, 2022.
This project will also increase the capacity by 470 MVA and some 0.235 million (2.35 lakh) new power connections will be provided.
The official informed that the main project operations include installation of some three new 33/11 KV power sub-stations, standard up-gradation and rehabilitation of some 20 33/11 KV sub-stations, erection of some 2,042.5 km new lines, rehabilitation of some 1,411 km dilapidated lines, installation of some 3,851 distribution transformers, installation of 25 circuit breakers as well as installation of 311 capacitor banks.
Another Planning Commission official said that the ECNEC meeting will consider another project for establishing Syedpur 150 MW+ 10 per cent simple cycle (HSD-based) power station with an estimated cost of Tk 11 billion (Tk 1,001 crore).