Power import from Bhutan to be finalised at Delhi meet in May

FE Report
Power import from Bhutan is expected to be finalised at the meeting of officials of Bangladesh, Bhutan and India next month (May) in New Delhi, sources say.  
Earlier, Dhaka had requested Thimphu to export electricity to Bangladesh at the commerce secretary-level meeting in the Bhutanese capital Thimphu on April 9-10 last.
"We discussed bilateral issues such as import of power from Bhutan, transit and cooperation in the tourism sector," senior secretary of the ministry of commerce (MoC) Mahbub Ahmed who led the Bangladeshi delegation at the meeting told the FE.
He said power department officials concerned of the countries would hold a meeting next month in New Delhi.
"There will be a meeting of power department officials of Bangladesh, Bhutan and India in May 2014 to discuss import of electricity from Bhutan to Bangladesh through India," a high official of the ministry of power, energy and mineral resources told the FE. Bhutan now produces between 1,500 megawatts (mw) and 3,000 mw of electricity daily from its hydropower plants. It has the capacity to produce around 30,000 mw of electricity through hydropower facilities.    
There are five major hydroelectric facilities in Bhutan, and several small and mini hydroelectric generators that serve remotely located households and communities, both off- and on-grid.
In addition, a number of construction projects are underway that are expected to increase Bhutan's hydropower generation capacity to 10,000 mw by 2020.
The daily demand of electricity in Bangladesh is over 8,000 mw. The country is generating between 6,500 mw and 7,000 mw of power that includes import of around 460 mw from India, according to Bangladesh Power Development Board.  
According to official data, the volume of trade between Bhutan and Bangladesh during the fiscal year (FY) 2012-2013 was worth US$ 30 million. Bhutan exported goods worth $ 25 million while it imported $ 5.0 million worth of goods from Bangladesh during the FY.
Bhutan exported goods worth $ 19 million, while Bangladesh exported only $ 3.12 million worth of goods to Bhutan in the FY 2011-12, the data said.