Bangladesh News: The
sharp increase in power purchase from the private sector continues against the
rise of overall production as private plants generated 56.72 per cent of the
total amount of power in fiscal year 2011-12.
Referring to the government’s mega plan, a
Power Division official told New Age that the contribution of the private
sector to electricity generation would hit 62 per cent by 2016.
On the one hand the government is
encouraging private entrepreneurs to generate more and more power and on the
other the generation by the public sector is decreasing.
According to a recent report of the
state-run Power Development Board, out of 27,253.19 million kilowatt-hours
(unit) of the total power in FY2009-10, 11,359.85 million units were produced
by the private sector.
In FY2010-11, the private sector overtook
the public sector by producing 14,811.57 million units of power, 50.24 per cent
of the total.
The growth of the private sector in power
generation continued in the following fiscal year and hit about 57 per cent by
producing 19,918 million units of electricity out of 35,118.28 million.
PDB officials and experts said that the
government’s negligence in increasing power generation by the old plants as
well as the setting up of new plants in the public sector allowed the private
entrepreneurs to establish their domination in electricity generation.
They said that the overall generation cost
of power would continue increasing with the growing dependence on the private
sector.
Bangladesh News: Pvt cos rule power sector with govt
approval
Shamsul Alam, energy adviser of the
Consumers’ Association of Bangladesh, told New Age on Saturday that it was the
government’s policy to let the private entrepreneurs take control of the power
sector.
He warned that the country’s energy
security would be threatened if power production was in the control of the
private sector.
Zaid Bakht, research director of the
Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies, said that the common people would
have to bear the brunt of the increasing generation cost of power as the
concerned authorities will realise the extra cost from the consumers.
Besides, the cost of living will increase
further, even for those who do not have access to electricity, because of the
increase of the prices of essentials due to rise of power prices.
According to data available with the
Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission and PDB, average power generation cost
will shoot up to Tk 5.57 a unit in FY2012-13, which is more than double the
cost (Tk 2.59 a unit) in FY2009-10.
Audited reports show that the PDB produced
10,488.33 million units of electricity, other public sector companies produced
5,405.01 million while small and big independent power producers generated
9,098.59 million and rental plants produced 9,098.59 million in FY2009-10.
In the next fiscal year the PDB produced
10,278.88 million units of electricity, other public sector companies 4,394.03
million while small and big independent power producers generated 9,389.64
million and rental plants 5,421.93 million.
This year power generation by the public
sector plants dropped by 1,220.43 million units although total generation
increased by 2,231.29 million, mainly due to the diversion of gas to the
private plants from the public sector.
PDB officials said that the government had
to ensure gas supply to the private plants due to contractual obligations as
the minimum bills would have to be paid whether or not electricity is bought
from the those plants.
In FY2011-12, power generation by the
public sector increased by 527.37 million units as about 10 fuel oil-run plants
had started power generation. (Source: New Age)
Bangladesh News:
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