Energy Bangla

There had been only 513 MW power generation growth in 2014, which was half compared to the growth rate in 2013.
According to statistics provided by the state-owned Power Development Board (PDB), the country�s available power generation capacity marked a rise by 513 MW in 2014 while the growth was more than double in the previous year as it showed a rise by 1,045 MW in 2013, reports UNB.
The power generation reached 6213 MW on December 28, 2014 from 5700 MW in December 29, 2013. It was 4,655 MW in December 27, 2012.
Sources said if the import of 500 MW from neighbouring India is taken into account, the available generation capacity increased by 1013 MW in 2014.
The PDB record also shows the installed generation capacity increased by 435 MW to reach 10,648 MW in December 2014 from 10,213 MW during the corresponding period in 2013. This capacity was 8931 MW during the same time in 2012. This means the increase in the installed capacity in 2013 was 1,282 MW.
About the power generation growth in 2013 and 2014, power sector expert and former director general of Power Cell BD Rahmatullah said the government gave the highest emphasis to rental and quick rental power plants which increased the capacity by about 1000 MW in 2013.
But in 2014, the emphasis was on import of electricity from India, for which only 500 MW was added to the firm or available generation capacity, he said.
Rahmatullah, however, said no figure or statistics of the government is reliable as the countrys firm generation capacity never crossed 6,500 MW although they show the capacity at 11000 MW plus.
Actually, all the figures are exaggerated and sometime found self-contradicted. Theres no similarity with the data supplied by PDB and the Power Division or Power Cell, said the former Power Cell chief.
He also suggested the government to pay greater attention towards setting up base-load power plants instead of costly rental, quick rental plants or import of power from India.