The government has planned to add 717 MW of electricity in national grid from eight public and private-owned power plants by December next, a senior official of Power Division said yesterday. "Of the 717MW of electricity, a total of 480MW would add from public sector and the rest from private sector," the official said.

He said that the state-owned unit-1 of Siddirganj 120MW gas-fired peaking Power Plant would start electricity generation during the current month while other unit of the plant having capacity of another 120MW in November. Electricity generation from state-owned 90MW Sylhet Combine Cycle Power Plant (phase 2) at Fenchuganj will begin in October or November, sources said. Harbin Power Engineering Co Ltd (HPE) refused to start electricity generation from the state-owned plant as there was dispute with Power Development Board over advance income tax (AIT) and VAT payment during last two years following installation of the power plant in 2007, Power Division sources said.

Besides, state-owned Sikalbaha 150MW peaking Power Plant, Shikalbaha 55MW rental Power Plant, Ashuganj 62MW power plant, Fenchuganj 50MW (15-year) rental power plant, Fenchuganj 50MW (3-year) rental power plant, Bhola 35MW and Bhola 20MW power plant will come into operation in coming December, Power Division sources added. Several private power producers said they were not able to start electricity production from their plants in time due to bureaucratic bottlenecks.

Meanwhile, the Power Division will install solar panels in Prime Minister Office (PMO) in the next two months as a part of government's initiative of using alternative energy in all public offices and educational institutions. There is a plan to provide electricity in government offices and educational institutions through solar panels within three years. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Power Development Board (PDB) and Rahimafrooz Renewable Energy Limited (RREL) on August 7 last at WAPDA Bhaban.

PDB Executive Director Chowdhury Nuruzzaman and RREL Managing Director Munawar Misbah Moin signed the MoU on behalf of their respective organisations. Under the MOU , the RREL will install 8KW to 10KW of solar panels in PMO within next 60 days which would supply electricity to four rooms of PMO in red zone. The PDB has already installed solar panels in its chief and members offices, PDB sources said. Power Development Board (PDB) Chairman ASM Alamgir Kabir, Member Administration of PDB Misbahul Islam, Member Finance Md Fazlul Huq, Member Generation Tapan Kumar Chowdhury and Member distribution Mostafa Kamal were present at the MOU signing ceremony.

-New Nation