By Syed Shukur Ali Shuvo

DHAKA, March 15, 2022 (BSS) - Vexing power disruption once made people's life miserable, but the situation has been changed and now the country's people are getting uninterrupted supply of electricity, thanks to the government for implementing a number of projects to enhance the capacity of distribution companies.

"Our mission is now to ensure quality and uninterrupted power supply at a rational price to all as the government has already brought country's 100 percent population under power coverage," state minister for power, energy and mineral resources Nasrul Hamid told BSS here today.

Country's power generation capacity has stood at 25,514 MW and each and every distribution company has been working relentlessly to ensure uninterrupted power supply to the 4.19 crore consumers, said Nasrul.

"Our visionary leader Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will open Payra power plant and also declare the government's landmark success of bringing cent percent population under electricity coverage on March 21," he added.

According to the Power Division, the government has constructed 6.19 lakh kilometres power line and 13,017 circuit kilometers transmission line so far across the country to ensure uninterrupted supply of electricity across the country.

It said the government has provided power connections to 3.11 crore new consumers with expansion of 3.59 lakh kilometres new distribution line and 5,213 circuit kilometres of transmission line in the last 13 years.

During the period, the power generation capacity has increased more than 5 times as the capacity was 4,942 MW in January 2009, which has now stand at 25,514 MW till February 2022 (including captive and renewable energy).

 The government is also importing 1160 MW electricity from India.

"Move is underway to import electricity from clean energy sources such as hydro power from Nepal and Bhutan and solar power from India," Nasrul added.

According to the Power System Master Plan (PSMP) 2016, Bangladesh has an aspiration to become a high-income country by 2041 with increasing the country's power generation capacity to 60,000 MW.

"Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government has a target to generate 60,000-MW electricity by 2041, as the government materialized its earlier vision-2021 by increasing generation capacity to 25,514 MW from 24,000 MW," PSMP said.

Nasrul, however, said that the government has been offering various stimulus packages for expansion of Renewable Energy (RE) in the country and as part of it, solar home system has been providing electricity to around 2.0 crore people at off-grid areas in the country.

"The government is very much optimistic to bring 1200 MW power from Matarbari Coal Fired Power Plant by 2024 and another 1200 MW in phases," he said.

With sincere and relentless efforts of the government the per capita electricity generation reached 560 kWh, which was only 220 kWh in 2009, he said, adding that the system losses came down to only 5.85 percent from 14.33 percent.

"In the context of Bangladesh, solar power is more promising than other renewable energy sources. But expansion of solar power system needs more land, so, we are looking for innovative solutions. We are moving towards rooftop solar and floating solar technology," he said.

Nasrul said, "We want to increase the share of power generation from renewable sources to 40 percent by 2050. Therefore, the power master plan is being updated."