Govt mulls appointing consultant
Sunday, 15 July 2012
Having failed to receive any positive response from the Indian private power producers, the government is now contemplating to appoint a consultant to help import electricity, official sources said, reports UNB.
According to the sources, the state-owned Power Development Board (PDB) had invited bids from Indian private power producers to import 250 MW of electricity in addition to 250 MW of power import from India's state-owned NTPC under state-to-state deal.
The bid submission date was June 11 this year. But later the date was extended by another 14 days to June 25 for India's potential gas or coal based power plant owners, suppliers or traders to supply 250 megawatt (MW) of electricity.
But on the final closing date of the bid submission, it was found that no bid was dropped by the potential power exporters. Apparently, Indian power producers found the terms and condition unsuitable.
"Possibly (Indian) private power producers found the PDB's terms and conditions a little bit complicated and lengthy, and also something difficult. That's why they didn't show their interest to sell electricity to Bangladeshi state-owned entity," said a top official at the Power Ministry who wished not to be named.
He said in such a situation, the government is thinking of appointing a consultant who will deal with the matter of power import from Indian private plant operators.
The official also said that the government wants a Bangladesh-India joint venture firm to be working as consultant for easy communication.
"We hope, the PDB will be moving fast to appoint consultant for its power import from the Indian private sector," he added.
The PDB had planned to import the additional 250 MW of power from Indian private sector through the under construction transmission line of Bahrampur substation in Murshidabad of India to Bheramara grid substation of Kushtia in Bangladesh. The electricity will be transmitted at 400kV level under the deal between the Power Grid Company of India (PGCI) and Power Grid Company of Bangladesh (PGCB).
PDB has a plan to import the 250 MW of power from the Indian private sector under a 15-year deal. The tenure of the agreement can be extended further on mutual understanding.
Under a plan of total 500-MW electricity import from India, the PDB signed an agreement with the Vidyut Vyapar Nigam Ltd, or NVVN, a subsidiary of India's National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) in February 28 this year in New Delhi to import 250 MW of electricity.
The deal has a 25-year term and as per its provision India will also be able to purchase electricity from Bangladesh, if the country has surplus electricity.
The PDB official hoped they might be able to get 250-MW Indian electricity from June 2013 after completion of the construction of transmission line and substations.
As per the deal, the PDB will purchase 250 MW of electricity from Indian NTPC at a cost of around Tk 4 per unit.
The PDB will pay additional Tk 0.80 per unit as wheeling charge to the power distribution firm. The electricity tariff may, however, change as per direction from the Indian Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC). Bangladesh now generates about 5,000 MW of power against a demand for more than 6,500 MW.
The government has a target to augment electricity generation to 20,000 MW by 2021.
According to the sources, the state-owned Power Development Board (PDB) had invited bids from Indian private power producers to import 250 MW of electricity in addition to 250 MW of power import from India's state-owned NTPC under state-to-state deal.
The bid submission date was June 11 this year. But later the date was extended by another 14 days to June 25 for India's potential gas or coal based power plant owners, suppliers or traders to supply 250 megawatt (MW) of electricity.
But on the final closing date of the bid submission, it was found that no bid was dropped by the potential power exporters. Apparently, Indian power producers found the terms and condition unsuitable.
"Possibly (Indian) private power producers found the PDB's terms and conditions a little bit complicated and lengthy, and also something difficult. That's why they didn't show their interest to sell electricity to Bangladeshi state-owned entity," said a top official at the Power Ministry who wished not to be named.
He said in such a situation, the government is thinking of appointing a consultant who will deal with the matter of power import from Indian private plant operators.
The official also said that the government wants a Bangladesh-India joint venture firm to be working as consultant for easy communication.
"We hope, the PDB will be moving fast to appoint consultant for its power import from the Indian private sector," he added.
The PDB had planned to import the additional 250 MW of power from Indian private sector through the under construction transmission line of Bahrampur substation in Murshidabad of India to Bheramara grid substation of Kushtia in Bangladesh. The electricity will be transmitted at 400kV level under the deal between the Power Grid Company of India (PGCI) and Power Grid Company of Bangladesh (PGCB).
PDB has a plan to import the 250 MW of power from the Indian private sector under a 15-year deal. The tenure of the agreement can be extended further on mutual understanding.
Under a plan of total 500-MW electricity import from India, the PDB signed an agreement with the Vidyut Vyapar Nigam Ltd, or NVVN, a subsidiary of India's National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) in February 28 this year in New Delhi to import 250 MW of electricity.
The deal has a 25-year term and as per its provision India will also be able to purchase electricity from Bangladesh, if the country has surplus electricity.
The PDB official hoped they might be able to get 250-MW Indian electricity from June 2013 after completion of the construction of transmission line and substations.
As per the deal, the PDB will purchase 250 MW of electricity from Indian NTPC at a cost of around Tk 4 per unit.
The PDB will pay additional Tk 0.80 per unit as wheeling charge to the power distribution firm. The electricity tariff may, however, change as per direction from the Indian Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC). Bangladesh now generates about 5,000 MW of power against a demand for more than 6,500 MW.
The government has a target to augment electricity generation to 20,000 MW by 2021.