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The Power Division has drawn up a contingency plan to ease the ongoing nagging power crisis by adding at least 600mega-watt (MW) additional power to the national grid.
"The plan has already been submitted before the Prime Minister for approval," a senior official of the Power Division of the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources (MPEMR) told the FE Sunday.
The MPEMR has sought quick approval of the planned projects from the authorities concerned, including the Planning Commission (PC) and the Executive Committee for National Economic Council (ECNEC).
"The clearance of the PC and the ECNEC regarding the planned projects should be given within one month to complete installation of the power plants as per schedule," the official said preferring not to be named.
Installations of new skid or trailer mounted power plants, relocations of barge mounted power plants and carrying forward the ongoing power plant projects are among the contingency measures outlined in the proposed plan.
The MPEMR sources said the skid-mounted power plants would cost between Tk 8.0 billion and Tk 10 billion to add some 300 MW power to the national grid.
The Barapukuria coal-fired power plant would be able to generate 250 MW power, West Mount's Baghabari power plant 40 MW and Mymensingh third-phase power plant 70 MW within next six months.
Besides, overhauling of Ashuganj 150 MW power plant and Karnaphuli 50 MW power plant would have a positive impact.
Relocations of some barge-mounted power plants could add some 300 MW power more, MPEMR sources added.
For installing skid mounted power plant, the MPEMR suggested both public and private initiatives to expedite the construction.
It also mentioned that implementation of the projects would get momentum if the government financed the projects from its own resources.
The MPEMR sources said the Power Division submitted the plan last week following the PM's directive to take necessary steps to ease the nagging power crisis.
Earlier, it was alleged that the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) turned down almost all the planned projects prepared by Power Division to install power plants.
A high-powered committee at the PMO turned down the proposals to install over 2,000 MW to the national grid, it was alleged.
In place of approving the projects planned by Power Division, the PMO supported projects meant to rejuvenate the old and dilapidated power plants and install a number of small power plants in the private sector.
But the Planning Commission turned down the committee's first project and the latter was shelved recently following the World Bank's (WB) sharp criticism, said the MPEMR sources.
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