Dhaka: A move is underway to implement a Tk 2,000 crore project to ensure uninterrupted power supply to Dhaka’s central and north-west zones and major parts of Narayanganj within the next three years.

According to official sources, Dhaka Power Distribution Company Ltd (DPDC) has undertaken the project to implement it during the 2019-2022 period as part of its development programme, reports the UNB.

‘Once the project is implemented, the DPDC will be able to build a power distribution system to ensure non-stop electricity supply to consumers living in major parts of the two cities,’ DPDC Executive Director Ramiz Uddin told UNB.

He said the project got the approval of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) on November 7 last year, which was its last meeting under the previous government.

Of the total cost, the government will finance Tk 1882 crore while the DPDC will Tk 78 crore from its own funds to implement the project.

‘Now we’re preparing tender documents to float the tender to award contract for the job,’ he added saying it may take one month or two to complete the tender invitation process.

Power Division officials said the new project was undertaken as part of the government current target to improve power distribution and transmission system after its success in power generation.

They said although the country’s power generation reached a benchmark of over 11,000 MW capacity through its installed generation capacity of 18,000 MW but uninterrupted power supply in the capital city and elsewhere in the country is yet to be ensured due to poor distribution and transmission network.

‘As a result, many areas face power outage despite surplus power generation,’ said a senior official at the Power Division.         

Officials said DPDC mainly operates power distribution systems in Dhaka’s central and south-west parts and major parts of Narayanganj city, and the project will be implemented in the two cities.  

Officials said the project will facilitate the uninterrupted power supply until 2030 and another new project will be required to continue such facility.

Under the project framework, a good number of old substations each having 33/11 kV capacity will be replaced with new ones while 165 km if new source lines will be built and 33,157 electric poles to be installed, 1642 km of overhead lines to be renovated.

Installation of 361 km 11 kV underground distribution lines and 2575 transformers have been included in the project, according to the official sources.    

DPDC now distributes about 1,531 MW of electricity among its 1.178 million consumers and the electricity consumption in its command area has been witnessing about 12 percent growth a year.