RAJSHAHI, Sept 8, 2018 (BSS) – Power Development Board (PDB) has been
implementing a mega project in Rajshahi division involving more than Taka
964.16 crore to ensure a safe and dependable power supply together with
meeting the increasing demand for electricity till 2025.
PDB sources said the four and half-year project styled “Power Distribution
Management Development, Rajshahi Zone” is being implemented in Rajshahi City
and 16 upazilas of all eight districts under the division since July 2015.
The project intends to improve distribution system along with capacity
enhancement of the distribution zone coupled with supplying power
uninterruptedly, said Engineer Abdul Aziz, director of the project.
Upon its successful implementation by December 2019, the mega scheme will
contribute a lot to meeting the gradually mounting power demand besides
reducing system loss.
It will also help reducing existing load shedding caused by the prevailing
power system weakness in the zone comprising 60 upazilas covering 16,493
square-kilometer areas with around 21.7 million people.
In the recent time, a large number of new rice mills, cold-storages,
poultry farms and agro-based industries was established in the region.
Besides, big shopping malls, trade centres and large number of educational
institutions are functioning. An export processing zone has been set in
Pabna. The establishments have created a huge demand for power supply.
Engineer Aziz says the project has provision of installing seventeen 33/11
KV new substations and upgradation and renovation of existing 27 others. “We
are constructing 1299-kilometer new distribution lines side by side with
renovating 1714-kilometer existing lines,” he added.
Under the project, requisite number of office buildings, substation
buildings, boundary wall, internal roads and drains will be constructed.
He told BSS that construction of a number of picking power plants,
independent power plants and rental electricity centres is progressing fast
in the region.
Distribution of generated power from the plants and centres could be
possible through the newly installed distribution lines under the project.
Fifty-one percent implementation work on the project was completed, he added.
As a whole, the project will enormously supplement the government vision of
supplying power to all houses and establishments by 2021, Engineer Aziz
expected.