Bangladesh Rural Electrification Board (BREB) has undertaken an initiative to supply uninterrupted and reliable electricity through integrated development of power distribution systems in its distribution area of Khulna division.
To this end BREB is going to implement a project titled, “Modernization and Capacity Building of BREB’s Electricity Distribution System (Khulna Division)” worth Tk 3,076 crore. It is expected to be presented at the next meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC), an official of the Planning Commission said.
He said that the processing of the project has already been completed. If approved, the project will be implemented by BREB between this year and June 2025.
Dr Shamsul Alam, senior secretary and member of the General Economics Division (GED) of the Bangladesh Planning Commission, said, “In the Eighth Five-Year Plan, it is planned to provide uninterrupted and reliable electricity to all through integrated development of power generation, transmission and distribution system.”
“Under the new project, some 51 substations along with 1,161 km (33 kV) and 10,685 km (11 kV) underground line will be constructed. Once completed the project consumers of 9 Palli Bidyut Samiti under BREB of Khulna Division will get uninterrupted and reliable power,” Alam added.
“Besides, it will be converted a total of 3,300 km long LT (low tension) line to HT (High Tension) line, and 2,874 km long single phase HT line to 3 phases. Therefore, the project is compatible with affordable, reliable, sustainable and accessible modern energy for all the 7th aspirants of SDG,” he also said.
Under the project, two new buildings with an area of 1,800 square meters will be constructed for the headquarters of two old and dilapidated Palli Bidyut Samiti in Bagerhat and Satkhira.
However, of the total project cost, Tk 567 crore will come from the government, Tk 809 crore from the concerned organization’s own fund while the rest of Tk 1700 crore as foreign loan assistance.
Asian Development Bank (ADB) has agreed to lend almost Tk 1,700 crore for the development of power supply system.
The government has set a target to provide electricity for all. Currently, 99 percent of people are now getting electricity facility. It is expected that, every consumer in the country will come under electrification this year.
At present, plans have been made to modernize and increase the distribution system with the aim of providing uninterrupted and reliable power supply.
