Govt to install power grid in northern region

The government is going to install a 400-koilovolt (KV) high-voltage power transmission line in the country's northern region in order to import electricity from India, Nepal and Bhutan, officials said on Saturday.
They said the proposed 260-kilometre-long power grid from Barapukuria to Kaliakoir through Bagura will be the first one in the northern Bangladesh.
The state-run Power Grid Company of Bangladesh (PGCB) will construct the electricity transmission line with the financial support from the Indian second Line of Credit (LoC-II).
It has already taken up a Tk 33.22 billion project to lay the transmission grid.
Out of the total cost, more than half will come from the Indian LoC-II as the project assistance. The rest will be provided from the government's own funds.
"This power grid will mainly be connected with the cross-border and regional transmission lines," said a PGCB official.
"Firstly, it will be utilised to import  electricity from the Indian state of Jharkhand. Secondly, it will be utilised to import power from Nepal and Bhutan in the near future," he added.
Initially, the official said, the power grid will be installed up to Barapukuria, near the Indian boarder.
Then the grid will be extended up to the border line, he said.
The Indian government will construct the similar line up to the border area to connect with the Barapukuria grid.
The Indian Adani Group will set up a 1,600-megawatt (MW) power station at the Indian state of Jharkhand, a Power Division official said, adding Bangladesh will import electricity from that station through the proposed Barapukuria-Kaliakoir grid.
According to the Indian government, the Adani Group will complete the construction of the power station at Jharkhand over the 2022-2023 period.
The PGCB will also complete the installation of the Barapukuria-Bagura-Kaliakoir grid line by 2022, the official said.
"Our main target is to import the power from India. Besides, this grid will be very much helpful for bringing power from Nepal and Bhutan," he added.
PGCB officials said they would construct the high-voltage double-circuit line from Barapukuria to Bagura and then another 140km line from Bagura to Kaliakoir under the project.
Besides, a 400/230kv sub-station at Kaliakoir and 230kv switching station at Parbotipur will be set up.
Over the last few years, Bangladesh has been trying to import power from Nepal and Bhutan through the Indian territory.
Bangladesh is also working jointly with the Nepalese government to set up some hydro power plants there aimed at bringing electricity into the country.
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