UNB, Dhaka
As part of its efforts to resolve the country’s chronic power crisis, the new government appears to make it a priority to implement 10 power plant projects initiated by previous governments.
According to official sources, moves had been initiated by the previous BNP-led coalition government and the caretaker government to implement these power plant projects.
They said some agreements had also been signed by the previous governments with a number of donor agencies to implement the projects. Of the projects, eight will be implemented in the public sector while two in the private sector.
The proposed projects to be implemented in the public sector are 300 MW Siddhirganj peaking plant (150×2), 360 MW Haripur power plant, 150 MW Sirajganj power plant, 150 MW Khulna power plant, 150 MW Bhola power plant, 150 MW Sylhet power plant and the 210 MW Khulna power plant.
The plants to be implemented in the private sector are 450 MW Bibiyana power plant and 450MW Sirajganj power plant.
Among the projects, loan agreements were signed by the previous governments for 300 MW Siddhirganj, 150 MW Sirajganj, 150 MW Khulna and 150 MW Bhola power plants.
As per the agreements, the World Bank is supposed to finance the 300 MW Siddhirganj plant while Japanese JBIC will finance the 360 MW Haripur project, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) 150 MW Sirajganj project and 150 MW Khulna project. The Islamic Development Bank (IDB) will finance the 150 MW Bhola project.
The government is supposed to finance from its own funds the 150 MW Sylhet and 150 MW Chandpur projects. The 210 MW Khulna project will be implemented under supplier’s credit.
State-owned Power Develo-pment Board (PDB), according to the sources, is preparing a paper on the position of the projects to place it before the government’s highest policymaking body. They said the new AL-led Grand Alliance government might give priority to implement these projects as funding has been confirmed by the donor agencies for such projects.
They also said gas supply to the projects has also been confirmed by state-owned Petrobangla. A top official at Petrobangla, however, said they are unlikely to be able to supply gas to the projects before 2013.
PDB officials said these projects may not require gas before 2013 as it would take at least 2-3 years to install the plants.
Courtesy: thebangladeshtoday.com
