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Power Grid Company of Bangladesh (PGCB) is going to strengthen grid capacity by spending nearly Tk 7.75 billion in a bid to meet growing demand for power and ensure quality and reliable electricity to its subscribers.
The state-run company will do the job through enhancing capacity of existing grid substations and replacing conductors of transmission lines and second circuit stringing.
In this regard, power, energy and mineral resources ministry has put forward a project proposal for increasing capacity of PGCB’s existing substations and transmission lines.
The project has been undertaken to increase capacity of transmission lines under PGCB across the country, Planning Minister MA Mannan informed.
“High capacity transmission line and enhancing capacity of existing substations are essential to meeting growing demand for power as well as ensuring reliable and seamless supply of produced electricity to people,” he said.
PGCB has moved to raise capacity of 10 substations, set up capacitor banks at 17 substations apart from carrying out reconductoring at eight 132kV transmission lines, construction of two new lines and stringing existing one under the proposed scheme, planning commission sources said.
In line with its Power System Master Plan 2016, the government eyes to raise its power generation capacity to 40,000MW by 2023 with turning the under-construction power plants into power generation hubs.
It has now become necessary to upgrade PGCB’s existing grid substations and transmission line to ensure dependable and uninterrupted supply of power from these upcoming power plants, according to power officials.
In view of this, a study was carried out to assess nation grid line’s capacity taking into consideration 10-30 percent more power generation compared to 2020’s highest power demand.
The new project has been picked up to raise capacity of overloaded transmission lines and substations at earliest possible time in line with the study recommendations.
Under the proposed scheme, capacity of five substations will be increased by 1,204MVA through replacing 10 old transformers with high-capacity new ones, while capacity of another five substations will be elevated by 985MVA with installing five new transformers there.
Besides, 630Mvar capacitor banks with 33kV voltage level will be installed at 17 substations. Reconductoring will be carried out at existing 151km 132kV double circuit transmission line, while second circuit stringing will be done at 40km 132kV single circuit line between Jhenidah and Chuadanga. 6km 132kV new transmission line will also be constructed.
PGCB seeks to implement the project in 30 upazilas of 25 districts under seven divisions and five city corporations by December 2024 once the project gets nod from the Ecnec, the highest economic policy making body.
Out of the total estimated cost of the project, the government will bear nearly Tk 7.27 billion while PGCB will provide the rest of Tk479.3 million from its own resources.
Project Evaluation Committee (PEC) under the Planning Commission instructed PGCB to obtain environmental clearance when it first sat on the project in late September 2019, the commission sources said.
Accordingly, PGCB received environmental clearance in early July last year, but the project required a fresh review with an updated study to which the planning minister gave nod on July 22 last year. PEC again held meeting on the scheme in February this year and made some recommendations.
Now, the scheme has been recommended by the planning commission for being tabled at Ecnec meeting for approval as it has complied with all the recommendations.
(DS)
