Using the national grid of India, Nepal will import 40 megawatts of electricity. The Economic Affairs Committee of the Cabinet has granted policy approval for the direct purchase method (DPM) of this electricity. In a virtual meeting chaired by Finance Minister A H M Mustafa Kamal yesterday, additional secretary of the Finance Division Saied Mahbub Khan informed journalists about various decisions of the meeting. When asked about the price of electricity from Nepal, he said that the discussion on the price has not taken place, and it will be determined in due course.
In a meeting held on September 9th under the chairmanship of the finance minister, a proposal was approved to send an economic proposal to the Power Division to determine the tariff for importing electricity from Nepal. According to the Power Division sources, currently, approximately 1,160 megawatts of electricity is imported from India. In this case, the average cost is around 7 taka per unit. Electricity is also imported from India’s Adani Thermal Power Center, where the cost is slightly higher. The price per unit of electricity imported from Nepal is estimated to be around 7 taka.
In addition, in a meeting chaired by the finance minister, the government procurement-related parliamentary committee approved 17 purchase proposals, including establishing two solar power plants with a total expenditure of Tk 9,440 crore. Additional Secretary Saied Mahbub Khan informed that Renuvolaebal Energy UK, Badal Construction, and G-Tech Solution Consortium will establish a 100-megawatt solar power plant in Basail upazila of Tangail. The government will buy electricity at a rate of 10 taka 99 paisa per unit for 20 years from this plant, and the total cost to the government will be an estimated Tk 3,561 crore.
Furthermore, KAI Bangladesh Aluminum and Altech Aluminum Industries will establish a 100-megawatt solar power plant in Cox’s Bazar Sadar Upazila. The government will buy electricity at a rate of 10 taka 98 paisa per unit for 20 years from this plant, and the total cost to the government will be an estimated Tk 3,556 crore.
Samit Oil and Shipping Company has approved the establishment of a third floating LNG terminal with a capacity of 600 MMCF per day in Maheshkhali, Cox’s Bazar. For this, the terminal company will have to pay 3 lakh dollars or Tk 3 crore 31 lakh 50 thousand (excluding taxes and VAT) daily as a regasification charge. Switzerland can import 33 lakh 60 thousand MMBTU LNG from the total engineering gas and power. The country will import one cargo or 33 lakh 60 thousand MMBTU LNG from Switzerland. The total cost will be 691 crore 73 lakh 20 thousand Tk.
Moreover, approval has been given for the purchase of 2 crore 20 lakh liters of soybean oil from TCB from Romania. Under the national contract, the country will import 2 lakh tons of fertilizer from Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. Additionally, 40,000 tons of fertilizer will be purchased from Kafco. Apart from this, the procurement proposal for the completion of the construction work of the 83.40-meter bridge over the Kushiyara River in Sylhet district has been approved. The total expenditure on this will be Tk 144 crore.
