Tk 70m sought to repair damaged power installations
Wednesday, 28 November 2007
FE Report
The Power Division has sought Tk 70 million from the Finance Ministry to repair the damages of various power installations caused by cyclone 'Sidr' in the southwestern part of the country'.
"We have submitted the proposal this week seeking financial allocation to repair the damages in the worst-affected southern districts," a senior Power Division official told the FE.
He said of the total amount, Tk 40 million will be spent to repair the damages under the Rural Electrification Board (REB) areas, Tk 20 million in the West Zone Power Distribution Company Ltd (WZPDC) and the remaining Tk 10 million will be retained by the division to meet the critical needs.
The REB chairman Habib Ullah Majumder said the electricity distribution system in 30 Palli Bidyut Samities (PBSs), out of the country's total 70 PBSs were damaged severely during the deadly cyclone.
Some 56 electric sub-stations and 25 transmission towers were also damaged in the REB areas across the country, he said.
Some 1,722 distribution poles were destroyed while 7,679 more were damaged during the hurricane.
Power Division sources said the powerful 'Sidr' collapsed Bangladesh's entire power system resulting in failure of the country's national power grid.
Almost the entire country went without electricity as most of the power plants had tripped causing a complete blackout.
The national grid failed twice at around 7:00 in the morning and 5:00 in the evening (local time) on November 16 due to the devastating cyclone that affected the country's southwestern part badly.
The electric distribution lines, poles and transformers were damaged in the gusty winds when trees uprooted by the winds fell on the lines during the cyclone in most city areas especially the southern districts. As the country plunged into darkness resulting in low demand for electricity, it caused the national grid to trip, the official explained.
In Bangladesh the peak power demand normally hovers around 5,000MW against the production capacity of around 4,200MW.
But, due to damages of electricity distribution and transmission systems, the countrywide power demands came down as low as 346MW.
The Power Division has sought Tk 70 million from the Finance Ministry to repair the damages of various power installations caused by cyclone 'Sidr' in the southwestern part of the country'.
"We have submitted the proposal this week seeking financial allocation to repair the damages in the worst-affected southern districts," a senior Power Division official told the FE.
He said of the total amount, Tk 40 million will be spent to repair the damages under the Rural Electrification Board (REB) areas, Tk 20 million in the West Zone Power Distribution Company Ltd (WZPDC) and the remaining Tk 10 million will be retained by the division to meet the critical needs.
The REB chairman Habib Ullah Majumder said the electricity distribution system in 30 Palli Bidyut Samities (PBSs), out of the country's total 70 PBSs were damaged severely during the deadly cyclone.
Some 56 electric sub-stations and 25 transmission towers were also damaged in the REB areas across the country, he said.
Some 1,722 distribution poles were destroyed while 7,679 more were damaged during the hurricane.
Power Division sources said the powerful 'Sidr' collapsed Bangladesh's entire power system resulting in failure of the country's national power grid.
Almost the entire country went without electricity as most of the power plants had tripped causing a complete blackout.
The national grid failed twice at around 7:00 in the morning and 5:00 in the evening (local time) on November 16 due to the devastating cyclone that affected the country's southwestern part badly.
The electric distribution lines, poles and transformers were damaged in the gusty winds when trees uprooted by the winds fell on the lines during the cyclone in most city areas especially the southern districts. As the country plunged into darkness resulting in low demand for electricity, it caused the national grid to trip, the official explained.
In Bangladesh the peak power demand normally hovers around 5,000MW against the production capacity of around 4,200MW.
But, due to damages of electricity distribution and transmission systems, the countrywide power demands came down as low as 346MW.