Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today inaugurated four power plants that added 435.4 megawatts (MWs) of electricity to the country’s national grid, reports BSS.
The premier also opened eight 33/11 KV GIS substations along with the power plants through a videoconferencing from her official Ganabhaban residence here this afternoon.
Through the same function, Sheikh Hasina, also Minister of the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources, launched cent percent electrification in 10 upazilas of the country.
The four power plants are - Baghabari, Sirajganj 200 MW Power Plant by Paramount BTrac Energy Ltd, Jamalpur 115MW Power Plant by United Jamalpur Power Ltd, Bogura 113 MW Power Plant by Confidence Power Bogura-2 Ltd, and Kaptai, Rangamati 7.4 MWp Solar Photovoltaic (PV) by Grid-Connected Power Generation Plant at Kaptai.
The eight substations are - Godnail, Mandalpara, Dapa of Fatullah, and Nandalalpur of Fatullah in Narayanganj and Shahjahanpur, Mugdapara, Banosree of Rampura and Zahir Raihan Road of Shahbagh in Dhaka.
The 10 upazilas which came under cent percent power coverage are - Goraghat in Dinajpur, Matlab Dakkhin in Chandpura and Sadar, Pachbibi and Akkelpur in Joypurhat, Paba in Rajshahi, Sadar and Rupganj in Narayanganj, Haripur in Thakurgaon and Companiganj in Noakhali.
According to officials of the power ministry, a total of 340 upazilas in the country have so far been brought under cent percent electricity coverage.
Among others, PM’s Energy Adviser Dr. Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury, State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid, lawmakers Mirza Azam, Abu Sayeed Al Mahmud Swapon and Md. Habibe Millat and Asian Development Bank (ADB), Bangladesh Country Director Manmohan PARKASH were present on the occasion.
PM’s Principal Secretary Dr. Md Nojibur Rahman moderated the function while Power Division Senior Secretary of Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Dr Ahmad Kaikaus gave an overview on the overall development in the power sector.
As many as 93 per cent people have been brought under electricity coverage as the country achieved capability of producing over 22000 MW electricity.
Chief Coordinator on SDG Affairs of the Prime Minister Office (PMO) Md Abul Kalam Azad, PMO Secretary Sajjadul Hassan, and PM’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim were also present.
The prime minister later exchanged views with the people of the concerned districts.