Govt looks to alternative sources to feed gas-scarce power sector after 2011
Thursday, 6 September 2007
M Azizur Rahman
The Power Division has decided to modify the existing Power System Master Plan (PSMP) to achieve its target of generating 18,000 megawatts (MW) of additional electricity by 2025 next.
The decision came as the Energy and Mineral Resources Division (EMRD) under the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources expressed its inability to provide natural gas to new power plants beyond 2011.
The Power Division will incorporate in the PSMP a number of potential sources for augmenting power generation by exploring all possible avenues to bring the entire country under electricity coverage by the year 2020, a top official of the division told the FE.
He said the looming uncertainty over availability of natural gas, the main fuel for generating electricity, is pushing the Power Division towards searching for alternative energy sources and accommodating those in the PSMP.
Under the existing PSMP most of the future power plants are targeted to run on natural gas as per the current trend of gas use for electricity generation.
Currently more than 80 per cent of the power plants consume natural gas as fuel to generate electricity, a senior Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) official said.
The country's first ever 20-year PSMP was adopted in 2005, which is set to expire in 2025.
An international consultancy firm, appointed by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), prepared the PSMP in assistance with the BPDB and the Power Grid Company Bangladesh Ltd.
Sources said installation of a number of new coal-fired power plants, import of electricity from power-surplus neighbouring countries and setting up nuclear power plants would be some of the avenues to be explored to enhance electricity generation in the coming years.
Cross-border supply of electricity during off-peak and peak hours and establishing joint venture power plants with neighbouring countries would also figure prominently in the Power Division's strategy, the official said.
The potential of renewable energy such as solar power, wind power and power generation from solid wastes would also be explored, he added.
"We have initiated the process for modification of the PSMP immediately after expression of inability by the Energy and Mineral Resources Division (EMRD) to provide natural gas supply to new power plants beyond 2011," said the Power Division official.
In the modified PSMP the Power Division will set different targets of generating electricity in varied timeframes and in different areas.
Most of the planned new coal-fired power plants would be installed in the country's southwestern and southeastern regions where gas is scarce.
The coal-fired power plants would be set up near the port areas of Mongla and Chittagong to facilitate transportation of coal to the project sites easily.
Initially the local coalmines would be the sources of fuel for the power generation, said sources. Then if needed, the government will import coal to run the new coal-fired plants.
Currently Bangladesh has a lone coal-fired power plant at Barapukuria having a generation capacity of 250 megawatts (MW).
But huge coal reserves in a number of coalmines could be the potential sources of fuel for electricity generation.
For importing electricity, neighbouring Myanmar and India would be the potential sources.
Electricity generation from the much-awaited Rooppur nuclear power plant would also be included in the modified PSMP.
The Power Division has decided to modify the existing Power System Master Plan (PSMP) to achieve its target of generating 18,000 megawatts (MW) of additional electricity by 2025 next.
The decision came as the Energy and Mineral Resources Division (EMRD) under the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources expressed its inability to provide natural gas to new power plants beyond 2011.
The Power Division will incorporate in the PSMP a number of potential sources for augmenting power generation by exploring all possible avenues to bring the entire country under electricity coverage by the year 2020, a top official of the division told the FE.
He said the looming uncertainty over availability of natural gas, the main fuel for generating electricity, is pushing the Power Division towards searching for alternative energy sources and accommodating those in the PSMP.
Under the existing PSMP most of the future power plants are targeted to run on natural gas as per the current trend of gas use for electricity generation.
Currently more than 80 per cent of the power plants consume natural gas as fuel to generate electricity, a senior Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) official said.
The country's first ever 20-year PSMP was adopted in 2005, which is set to expire in 2025.
An international consultancy firm, appointed by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), prepared the PSMP in assistance with the BPDB and the Power Grid Company Bangladesh Ltd.
Sources said installation of a number of new coal-fired power plants, import of electricity from power-surplus neighbouring countries and setting up nuclear power plants would be some of the avenues to be explored to enhance electricity generation in the coming years.
Cross-border supply of electricity during off-peak and peak hours and establishing joint venture power plants with neighbouring countries would also figure prominently in the Power Division's strategy, the official said.
The potential of renewable energy such as solar power, wind power and power generation from solid wastes would also be explored, he added.
"We have initiated the process for modification of the PSMP immediately after expression of inability by the Energy and Mineral Resources Division (EMRD) to provide natural gas supply to new power plants beyond 2011," said the Power Division official.
In the modified PSMP the Power Division will set different targets of generating electricity in varied timeframes and in different areas.
Most of the planned new coal-fired power plants would be installed in the country's southwestern and southeastern regions where gas is scarce.
The coal-fired power plants would be set up near the port areas of Mongla and Chittagong to facilitate transportation of coal to the project sites easily.
Initially the local coalmines would be the sources of fuel for the power generation, said sources. Then if needed, the government will import coal to run the new coal-fired plants.
Currently Bangladesh has a lone coal-fired power plant at Barapukuria having a generation capacity of 250 megawatts (MW).
But huge coal reserves in a number of coalmines could be the potential sources of fuel for electricity generation.
For importing electricity, neighbouring Myanmar and India would be the potential sources.
Electricity generation from the much-awaited Rooppur nuclear power plant would also be included in the modified PSMP.