Bangladesh has achieved one more milestone as the federal government is about to announce that it has introduced 100 per cent of the inhabitants beneath electrical energy protection.
“Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will announce it formally at a programme on March 21,” Nasrul Hamid, state minister for energy, vitality and mineral assets, instructed reporters at a programme on the Bidyut Bhaban in Dhaka yesterday.
“We’ve got already taken electrical energy to distant areas. All of the properties besides these beneath development are reaping the good thing about electrical energy.”
“We’ve got taken electrical energy traces to the distant areas like Rangabali in Patuakhali and Hatia and Nijhum Dip in Noakhali,” stated Md Habibur Rahman, energy secretary.
The achievement will put Bangladesh forward of India and Pakistan, among the many nations in South Asia, which have introduced 98 per cent and 74 per cent of their inhabitants beneath electrical energy community, knowledge from the World Financial institution confirmed.
Bangladesh has made spectacular strides within the energy sector within the final decade.
Put in energy era capability rocketed to 25,514 megawatts from 4,942MW in 2009, whereas the utmost energy manufacturing rose to 13,792 MW, up four-fold from 3,268MW13 years in the past, knowledge from the ability division confirmed.
In 2009, solely 47 per cent of the inhabitants had entry to energy. Per capita energy era greater than doubled to 560 kilo-watt-hour from 220 kWh in the course of the interval, making a frequent energy outage a factor of the previous.
Specialists hailed the achievement.
Whereas talking to The Every day Star, M Tamim, an vitality professional and a professor of the Bangladesh College of Engineering and Know-how, described 100 per cent protection as a serious milestone for the nation.
“Individuals have come beneath electrical energy protection. It is a good achievement.”
Khondaker Golam Moazzem, analysis director of the Centre for Coverage Dialogue, stated: “It’s a main achievement of the federal government.”
“The federal government has set a goal to convey all the inhabitants beneath electrical energy protection. It has labored within the final one decade to realize the objective.”
The success within the energy sector has additionally helped the federal government take the economic system to a brand new peak.
“The financial success will not be solely seen in cities – it’s also seen in rural areas,” stated Moazzem.
Each Prof Tamim and Moazzem remind the challenges that lie forward for the federal government.
“Now, we must guarantee an uninterrupted energy provide. Electrical energy will even need to be inexpensive,” Prof Tamim stated.
“Electrical energy has been taken to the individuals within the distant areas. If they cannot afford it, then having the ability community won’t make any distinction,” he stated.
Moazzem stated the federal government has been capable of take electrical energy connections to the individuals, however the nation is lagging in the case of the provision of energy.
“Availability of energy remains to be low given the capability,” he stated, referring to greater than 40 per cent extra energy era capability.
He urged the federal government to convey down extra bills which can be being incurred within the type of capability funds, for the operations of inefficient energy vegetation and for using costly fuels.
Within the coming decade, the federal government must try to maneuver to renewable vitality, reducing reliance on fossil-fuel-based energy era in phases.
“We must make enhancements within the areas of transmission and distribution programs as properly,” stated Moazzem.
The economist urged the federal government to reform the ability sector coverage, shifting away from the emergency energy provide legal guidelines to a aggressive energy system.
Referring to a research of the Bangladesh Institute of Improvement Research, Prof M Shamsul Alam, vitality adviser and senior vice-president of the Shoppers’ Affiliation of Bangladesh, says 10 to fifteen per cent of individuals couldn’t entry electrical energy in lots of areas despite the fact that the areas had been introduced beneath electrical energy protection up to now.
“The federal government has made electrical energy accessible for the inhabitants. Lifeline tariffs have been prolonged to supply energy at concessional charges. Why are some individuals nonetheless failing to reap the good thing about the growth in electrical energy protection?”
Prof Alam says individuals nonetheless use kerosene to gentle lamps. “This is among the indicators that say many individuals do not have entry to electrical energy.”
On the occasion, Nasrul Hamid stated the prime minister would inaugurate the 1,320MW coal-based energy plant in Payra of Patuakhali on March 21.
The ability plant could have much less affect on the setting than a brick kiln. It will likely be a Bangladesh-China three way partnership, he added.
The state minister stated the federal government is incurring enormous losses whereas importing gasoline and liquefied pure gasoline (LNG) resulting from Russia’s warfare towards Ukraine.
“Bangladesh Petroleum Company is dropping Tk 80 crore a day,” he stated, including that the federal government remains to be attempting to maintain the worth of gasoline and gasoline secure even by offering subsidies.
“But when the loss widens, the federal government could change its choice.”
Mentioning his current go to to Qatar, Hamid stated they’ve given a proposal to Qatar to import 1.8 billion per million British thermal items (MMBtu) of LNG beneath a long-term settlement.
“Qatar will give its choice inside a few days,” he added.
In regards to the capability of energy, Hamid stated the hole between peak hours and off-peak hours is about 6,000MW.
“The demand for energy is growing by 200MW each day. So, we have now to lift the era capability primarily based on the rising demand.”
Hamid stated many consultants criticised the federal government, arguing it’s making capability funds as it could possibly’t utilise the era capability.
“However that is a part of the funding.”
The 30 to 40 per cent reserved capability is geared toward assembly energy demand throughout peak hours and emergencies. “In any other case, we will be unable to make sure uninterrupted electrical energy provide throughout the nation,” he stated.
The developed nations such because the US and Japan keep a 100 per cent further capability, he added.