Power Sector of Bangladesh

The power sector, I mean electric power sector is much important division for a country’s overall development.  In this modern world the dependence on electricity is so much that it has become a part and parcel in our everyday life. We could not think passing a day without electricity.  The demand of electricity is increasing day by day. To meet the increasing demand of electricity, the generation of electricity is also increasing in the world and in our country, Bangladesh too.

I’m going to reveal some important information about the power sector in Bangladesh. I hope you will read the full article to know about the power sector of BD.

At present, there are 146 power plants are in operation with 25,235 Megawatt installed capacity in Bangladesh. Though Bangladesh has a 25,235 Megawatt installed capacity, the ever highest power generation is 13,792 Megawatt on 21 April 2021.

Some plants are under construction. One of them is Rooppur nuclear power plant. It will be the first nuclear power plant in Bangladesh which capacity will be 2.4 gigawatt. The plant is being constructed at Rooppur, adjoining Pakesy, in the Iswardi upazila of Pabna district, on the bank of the river Padma, 142 kilometers west of Dhaka, in the northwest of Bangladesh.  The first of two units of the nuclear power plant is expected to go into operation in 2023.

Matarbari Power Plant is also being constructed at Matarbari in Maheskhali upazila of Cox’s Bazar district in southeastern of Bangladesh. The plant capacity will be 1200 Megawatt which is expected to go into operation in 2023.

Payra LNG-based power plant will be the country’s largest power plant with a highest capacity of 3600 Megawatt,  3 units of capacity 1200 Megawatt each.

Besides power generation in home, Bangladesh import 1160 Megawatt electricity from abroad, India. 1000 Megawatt from West-Bengal, India and 160 Megawatt from Tripua, India.

Generation voltage of electricity in Bangladesh is usually 11 kV and frequency is 50 Hz. The highest generation voltage in Bangladesh is 22.75kv in Bibiyana and Ashugonj power station.

Read the single line diagram of power system

However, the generated power are being transmitted by a large electric network called national grid with a voltage of 132kv, 230 kv and 400kv as per economic consideration. 765 kv transmission line is under construction.  The electric power transmission company of Bangladesh is the Power grid company of Bangladesh (PGCB). Bangladesh has comprised 13,792 circuit kilometers transmission line and the length of it is increasing.

Six distribution companies supply the power to consumers in Bangladesh. These are-
1. Power Development Board (PDB)
2. Dhaka Power Distribution Company (DPDC)
3. Dhaka electric supply company (DESCO)
4. West zone power distribution company Ltd (WZPDCL)
5. Northern Electricity Supply Company (NESCO) and
6. Bangladesh Rural Electrification Board (BREB)

These distribution company supply the electricity with different voltage as per consumer demand. The distribution voltages are 33kv, 11kv, 0.44kv and 230 volt.

At present, people with access to electricity in Bangladesh is 99.5% and it will be 100% by 2022. Now, total electricity consumer in Bangladesh is 4 crore 1 lakh, of them 3 crore 16 lakh consumers are of BREB.

There are 461  upazilas with 100% electrification, of them 288 upazila has been inaugurated and rest of them are waiting for official inauguration. And the number of 100% electrification village is 84,507.

By the way, a lot of more information are left to know about power sector in Bangladesh. If I write all the information, it will be a very large post. So, I will write later rest of that information. To know about electricity, please visit my site now and then.
Thanks for your patience reading.