Power generation to shoot past 7000mw by 2013
Friday, 6 May 2011
FE Report
The Prime Minister's Energy Adviser Dr Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury Thursday said electricity generation by 2013 would exceed the target fixed by Awami League (AL) in its electoral manifesto. In its manifesto, the AL had committed to generate around 7,000 megawatts (mw) of electricity by 2013, he said. "But the country's overall electricity generation will be between 8,000mw and 9,000mw by that year," said Dr Elahi. The country's overall natural gas output will also increase by around 1,000 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd) by 2013, he said. The energy adviser was speaking at the 'meet the energy reporters' programme organised Thursday by Forum for Energy Reporters Bangladesh (FERB) at the National Press Club. FERB chairman Quasem Humayun chaired the function, moderated by its executive director Shahin Chowdhury. Speaking at the meet, the energy adviser said the overall electricity generation by the year-end would be 6,000mw from the current 4,300mw. The government has also drafted a master plan to augment electricity supply by 20,000mw by 2021 and 30,000mw by 2030, said Dr Elahi. Elaborating on the government steps to develop the country's power and energy sector, the energy adviser said signing a deal with Russian oil and gas firm Gazprom has almost been finalised Gazprom has agreed to mobilise drilling rigs in September next and install at least two compression stations, he said. The government will sign a production sharing contract (PSC) with ConocoPhillips for oil and gas exploration in offshore gas blocks shortly, said the adviser. The country will also import liquefied natural gas (LNG) to meet the mounting natural gas demand across the country. A floating LNG terminal would be built shortly to facilitate LNG import and the appointment of the US firm, CH-IV would be made within this month, said Dr Elahi. State-owned Gas Transmission Company Ltd (GTCL) would build a 90-kilometre pipeline to transmit piped natural gas to the user ends, he said. The country would start import of electricity from next year, said the energy adviser. A joint venture of Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) and India's National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) will build a 1,320mw coal-based power plant in Chittagong. Initially, the plant might be operated depending on imported coal, said Mr Elahi. The BPDB has planned to take lease of foreign coal mines or enter into long-term import deal with overseas coal mining companies to run the planned coal-fired power plant. The government has also moved for installation of several small-scale coal-fired power plants, he said. The much-talked-about national coal policy would be finalised by this year, the adviser assured. UNB adds: Prime Minister's Energy Adviser Dr. Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury said talks are in progress with neighbouring Myanmar to import gas for meeting Bangladesh's growing demand. He also indicated that under the move, the much talked-about proposal about tri-nation -- Myanmar-Bangladesh-India -- gas pipeline project might be revived. "If the issue of the tri-nation gas pipeline comes up again, we should not have any problem so far as our import of gas is concerned," he told reporters at meet-the-press event at the National Press Club. India had proposed the tri-nation gas pipeline during the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)-regime in 2004. New Delhi had offered to build a 1000km gas pipeline from Myanmar to India via Bangladesh to import gas from Myanmar. But the proposal for the project was not later taken up for consideration for different reasons including that of the US economic sanction on Myanmar. Recently, the project again came up for fresh discussions as Russia and India have shown interest about it. The adviser told the energy reporters that the government had prepared a Power System Master Plan (PSMP) to operationalise a massive power generation programme. The government would float tenders within this year for setting up 1000MW coal-fired power plants in the country, he added. Mentioning the nagging gas crisis, he said the issue of appointment of a consultant is at the final stage for the import of LNG (liquefied natural gas). "We hope the consultant for LNG import will be appointed even though the World Bank (WB) has not provided fund for the project". He mentioned that under a government programme, about 10 million more compact florescent lamp (CFL) bulbs would be distributed among the electricity consumers across the country. Dr. Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury, who had also served as the energy secretary during the tenure of previous AL government, said a floating LNG terminal will be set up at Chittagong region to facilitate the import of LNG from international sources.
The Prime Minister's Energy Adviser Dr Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury Thursday said electricity generation by 2013 would exceed the target fixed by Awami League (AL) in its electoral manifesto. In its manifesto, the AL had committed to generate around 7,000 megawatts (mw) of electricity by 2013, he said. "But the country's overall electricity generation will be between 8,000mw and 9,000mw by that year," said Dr Elahi. The country's overall natural gas output will also increase by around 1,000 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd) by 2013, he said. The energy adviser was speaking at the 'meet the energy reporters' programme organised Thursday by Forum for Energy Reporters Bangladesh (FERB) at the National Press Club. FERB chairman Quasem Humayun chaired the function, moderated by its executive director Shahin Chowdhury. Speaking at the meet, the energy adviser said the overall electricity generation by the year-end would be 6,000mw from the current 4,300mw. The government has also drafted a master plan to augment electricity supply by 20,000mw by 2021 and 30,000mw by 2030, said Dr Elahi. Elaborating on the government steps to develop the country's power and energy sector, the energy adviser said signing a deal with Russian oil and gas firm Gazprom has almost been finalised Gazprom has agreed to mobilise drilling rigs in September next and install at least two compression stations, he said. The government will sign a production sharing contract (PSC) with ConocoPhillips for oil and gas exploration in offshore gas blocks shortly, said the adviser. The country will also import liquefied natural gas (LNG) to meet the mounting natural gas demand across the country. A floating LNG terminal would be built shortly to facilitate LNG import and the appointment of the US firm, CH-IV would be made within this month, said Dr Elahi. State-owned Gas Transmission Company Ltd (GTCL) would build a 90-kilometre pipeline to transmit piped natural gas to the user ends, he said. The country would start import of electricity from next year, said the energy adviser. A joint venture of Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) and India's National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) will build a 1,320mw coal-based power plant in Chittagong. Initially, the plant might be operated depending on imported coal, said Mr Elahi. The BPDB has planned to take lease of foreign coal mines or enter into long-term import deal with overseas coal mining companies to run the planned coal-fired power plant. The government has also moved for installation of several small-scale coal-fired power plants, he said. The much-talked-about national coal policy would be finalised by this year, the adviser assured. UNB adds: Prime Minister's Energy Adviser Dr. Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury said talks are in progress with neighbouring Myanmar to import gas for meeting Bangladesh's growing demand. He also indicated that under the move, the much talked-about proposal about tri-nation -- Myanmar-Bangladesh-India -- gas pipeline project might be revived. "If the issue of the tri-nation gas pipeline comes up again, we should not have any problem so far as our import of gas is concerned," he told reporters at meet-the-press event at the National Press Club. India had proposed the tri-nation gas pipeline during the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)-regime in 2004. New Delhi had offered to build a 1000km gas pipeline from Myanmar to India via Bangladesh to import gas from Myanmar. But the proposal for the project was not later taken up for consideration for different reasons including that of the US economic sanction on Myanmar. Recently, the project again came up for fresh discussions as Russia and India have shown interest about it. The adviser told the energy reporters that the government had prepared a Power System Master Plan (PSMP) to operationalise a massive power generation programme. The government would float tenders within this year for setting up 1000MW coal-fired power plants in the country, he added. Mentioning the nagging gas crisis, he said the issue of appointment of a consultant is at the final stage for the import of LNG (liquefied natural gas). "We hope the consultant for LNG import will be appointed even though the World Bank (WB) has not provided fund for the project". He mentioned that under a government programme, about 10 million more compact florescent lamp (CFL) bulbs would be distributed among the electricity consumers across the country. Dr. Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury, who had also served as the energy secretary during the tenure of previous AL government, said a floating LNG terminal will be set up at Chittagong region to facilitate the import of LNG from international sources.