The Power Grid Company of Bangladesh Ltd (PGCBL) has called for enhancing local manufacture of quality power equipments and accessories, required for developing the transmission sector, in order to reduce dependence on foreign countries.
"Required manpower for power system operation and development is being imparted in the country, but equipments and other accessories for development of transmission sector are not being manufactured in a mentionable quantity locally," Md. Abul Kalam Azad, chairman of PGCBL, said.
One or two manufacturers have started producing 132/33kV transformer and tower members of transmission line in recent years, but other equipments including insulators and conductors of transmission line are imported, said Mr Azad, on behalf of the board of directors, at the PGCBL Annual Report 2013-14.
The public limited company is responsible for operation, maintenance and development of the transmission system and distribution of generated electricity in the country.
In the light of the Power System Master Plan, PGCBL has set its long term plan to develop transmission system infrastructure to supply electricity all over the country by 2021.
To accommodate the future growing power demand, the company took up many development plans for strengthening transmission system, as per the report.
During the fiscal year 2013-14, significant transmission infrastructures were added to the system because of the completion of different project works. As of June 30, 2014, 400 kV 164.70 circuit km, 230 kV 23.93 circuit km and 132kV 40 circuit km transmission lines were increased from that of the previous year.
Especially, the Bangladesh-India grid interconnection project from Bheramara of Bangladesh to Baharampur of India and Meghnaghat-Aminbazar 400 kV transmission lines were completed, it said.
However, the PGCBL in the year 2013-14 confronted a loss of Tk 29.70 million after tax. The trend of profit during last few years has not been achieved. During the year, cost of eight development project transferred from work in progress to fixed assets consequently expenditure of depreciation and interest increased very high.
Citing that it applied to the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) in August 2014 to increase the wheeling charge, Mr Azad said that financial weakness of PGCBL will be converted to strength when the wheeling charge will be increased.
"The stability in political arena is very much necessary to maintain expansion of the company as well," the PGCBL chairman.
Incorporated in 1996, the PGCBL was listed with the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) and Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) on October 9, 2006.
Its authorized capital is Tk 10 billion while paid up capital is Tk 4,609.13 million.
In the fiscal year 2013-14, the company's turnover was Tk 8,671.76 million and net profit before tax and WPPF was Tk 570.84 million.
As on June 30, 2014, there were 2,302 persons employed at the power grid company.
It transmission lines as on June 30, 2014 are 400 kV 164.70 circuit km, 230 kV 3,044.70 circuit km and 132kV 6,120 circuit km.
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Power Grid for enhancing manufacture of quality equipments
FE Report | Published: January 23, 2015 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00
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