Rural electricity expansion project in Khulna okayed
Wednesday, 20 October 2010
FE Report
The government has approved a distribution line expansion project in rural areas under Khulna division although the country is facing severe electricity supply shortfall, officials said.
The highest project approval body - ECNEC -- endorsed the Tk3.93 billion Rural Electricity Expansion in Khulna Divison-1 Scheme Tuesday at a meeting in Dhaka.
Presided over by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the ECNEC also approved the Tk2.53 billion renovation and modernisation of total 110mw capacity two power units in Ghorasal plant and Tk15.23 billion for five other projects in textile, education and sports sectors.
Planning ministry officials said the state-owned Rural Electrification Board (REB) will install about 3500 kilometres new distribution lines in Khulna division within three years to light the villages.
A senior REB official said the new electricity line will create only 36-megawatt additional electricity demand in the rural areas in Khulna division.
"Since the government has undertaken several electricity generation projects, we have planned to expand the distribution lines in rural areas," said the official.
The ECNEC (executive committee of the national economic council) has also approved projects involving Tk23.18 billion to improve the distribution systems in Dhaka, Rajshahi, Rangpur, Chittagong, Sylhet and Barisal divisions.
The REB official said as nearly 50 per cent people of the country has no access to electricity we need to expand the coverage in the rural areas.
Electricity demand in Bangladesh is now growing at about eight per cent growth a year.
Bangladesh is facing nearly 1500-megawatt power shortage everyday in the peak-hour against the demand for over 5500mw.
A planning ministry official said the state-owned REB has undertaken the projects to increase power distribution lines in the rural areas mostly on political consideration.
"We have taken the project as the MPs put pressure on us. Besides, the people have demand for power in the rural areas. Therefore, we have undertaken the distribution line expansion and upgradation projects," the REB official said requesting anonymity.
The REB, state-owned power distributor in the rural areas, is now supplying electricity to nearly eight million consumers under the 70 PBSs across the country.
It has some 222,342 kilometre distribution lines and 424 sub-stations in seven divisions.
The government has approved a distribution line expansion project in rural areas under Khulna division although the country is facing severe electricity supply shortfall, officials said.
The highest project approval body - ECNEC -- endorsed the Tk3.93 billion Rural Electricity Expansion in Khulna Divison-1 Scheme Tuesday at a meeting in Dhaka.
Presided over by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the ECNEC also approved the Tk2.53 billion renovation and modernisation of total 110mw capacity two power units in Ghorasal plant and Tk15.23 billion for five other projects in textile, education and sports sectors.
Planning ministry officials said the state-owned Rural Electrification Board (REB) will install about 3500 kilometres new distribution lines in Khulna division within three years to light the villages.
A senior REB official said the new electricity line will create only 36-megawatt additional electricity demand in the rural areas in Khulna division.
"Since the government has undertaken several electricity generation projects, we have planned to expand the distribution lines in rural areas," said the official.
The ECNEC (executive committee of the national economic council) has also approved projects involving Tk23.18 billion to improve the distribution systems in Dhaka, Rajshahi, Rangpur, Chittagong, Sylhet and Barisal divisions.
The REB official said as nearly 50 per cent people of the country has no access to electricity we need to expand the coverage in the rural areas.
Electricity demand in Bangladesh is now growing at about eight per cent growth a year.
Bangladesh is facing nearly 1500-megawatt power shortage everyday in the peak-hour against the demand for over 5500mw.
A planning ministry official said the state-owned REB has undertaken the projects to increase power distribution lines in the rural areas mostly on political consideration.
"We have taken the project as the MPs put pressure on us. Besides, the people have demand for power in the rural areas. Therefore, we have undertaken the distribution line expansion and upgradation projects," the REB official said requesting anonymity.
The REB, state-owned power distributor in the rural areas, is now supplying electricity to nearly eight million consumers under the 70 PBSs across the country.
It has some 222,342 kilometre distribution lines and 424 sub-stations in seven divisions.