Power Plants The sole government authority for generation of electricity is the power development board (BPDB). Major agencies in distribution of electricity include the BPDB itself and the rural electrification board (REB). There are a few other specialised power distribution agencies such as the Dhaka Electric Supply Authority (desa) and Dhaka Electric Supply Company (DESCO) for Dhaka or the Khulna Electric Supply Company (KESCO) for Khulna. The power division of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources is the umbrella organisation that controls power generation, transmission and distribution. An Independent Power Project (IPP) of the ministry is under implementation for improvement in generation and distribution of electricity by government and private agencies.

At the time of independence, Bangladesh had only 7 power stations with 11 units (Kaptai 2, Shahjibazar 1, Shiddhirganj 2, Khulna 1, Thakurgaon 2, Rajshahi 1, and Bogra 2). At present, BPDB operates 22 power stations with a total installed capacity of 3,150 mw. The new 15 stations include 2 barge-mounted plants (one at Khulna and the other at Sikalbaha) and 13 conventional ones at Ashuganj, Sylhet, Fenchuganj, Ghorasal, Haripur, Raozan, Baghabari, Bheramara, Saidpur, Barisal, Rangpur, Bhola, and Chittagong.

Power stations widely vary in age, number of units, types, and installed and generation capacity. The oldest among them is at Shiddhirganj (40 years) having 2 steam turbine units and using furnace oil. The installed capacity of the station is 60 mw but its actual generation is only about 16% of this capacity. The per unit fuel cost at the station is Tk 2.76, which is about 4 times of that at stations using gas as fuel, but nearly half of that at stations using high-speed diesel. All the 5 units of the station at Kaptai are of hydro type and they operate at near full capacity of a total of 230 mw. The first two units of Kaptai are now 37 years old and have capacity of 40 mw each, while the latter three, each having 50 mw capacity, are of the age of 17, 12 and 11 years.

Most power plants of Bangladesh use natural gas as fuel and such plants account for 84% of the total capacity. The only coal-fired plant at Barapukuria planned to generate 300 mw electricity is under construction. Smooth operation of power plants is constrained by factors such as poor maintenance, fuel shortage and generation losses, as well as revenue losses caused by weaknesses of the distribution network and power theft. Power plants supply electricity to substations through a network of 230 kV, 132 kV, 66 kV and 33 kV lines and from there the power goes to industries, business houses, offices, farms and households through lower-volt lines. The system loss in transmission has been estimated at as high as 32%.

The government encourages industries to install their own small electricity generating plants so that they can continue uninterrupted production during the load shedding. Private power companies are also allowed to produce and supply power to the national grid under agreed terms. Barge-mounted plants are the result of first such initiatives by the private sector. The private sector power plants that have recently started production include those at Baghabari (110 mw), Haripur (110 mw and 360 mw), Khulna (110 mw), Mymensingh (60 mw) and Meghnaghat (450 mw), all under the IPP. The government has a plan to build a 600 mw nuclear power plant at Rooppur, although many issues relating to cost, financing and safety are yet to be resolved. [Mushfiqur Rahman]