Gas supply to fertiliser units to be halted

Move aims to ensure power supply during irrigation season

To ensure uninterrupted power supply during the ongoing irrigation season and upcoming summer season, the government is going to halt gas supply to all fertiliser factories except Jamuna Fertilizer Factory.
Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury, Energy Advisor to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, yesterday disclosed this while briefing reporters at Biduyt Bhaban in the city on four new power plant projects, which Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will formally inaugurate today through video-conferencing from her official residence Gano Bhaban. The four power plants began commercial generation a few months ago and have already added 535.2MW electricity in the national grid, added Power Division Secretary Monwar Islam.
Among others, Mohammad Hossain, Director General of Power Cell; Dr Ahmed Kaikaus, Additional Secretary of Power Division; Shamsul Hassan Miah, Power Development Board Chairman; and REB Chairman Maj Gen Moinuddin were present on the occasion.
“Our main priority is to ensure maximum power supply to irrigation pumps during the summer for food (paddy) production,” Tawfiq said.
The government had taken similar decisions in the past to facilitate irrigation during summers. Officials said if gas supply to the seven of the eight fertiliser factories is halted, power plants would gain an additional 200 million cubic feet of gas a day (mmcfd), thus enhancing power generation by 500MW.
The country's irrigation season normally starts in March and continues till June, and the government has to supply additional 2000MW electricity to irrigation pumps. Tawfiq said the government has been trying to increase gas supply through import of LNG (liquefied gas supply). On an LNG project, for which the government signed initial deal, he said negotiations with an American company have been finalised.
Power Division Secretary Monwar Islam said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will also inaugurate 6,000 new power connections in Kotalipara in Gopalganj. Of the four new power plant projects to be inaugurated today, two were built by independent power producers, namely the 52.2MW furnace oil-based plant in Comilla and 108MW furnace oil-based plant in Chittagong. The other two were built by a state-owned company, which include the 150MW furnace oil-based plant in Gazipur and 225 gas-based plant in Ashuganj, he added.
The government aims to generate 24,000MW of electricity as part of its target of supplying power to every citizen by 2021. “Around 80 per cent people have access to electricity and we want to increase this to 95 per cent within the current term of the government," Monwar stated.

Gas supply to fertiliser units to be halted

Move aims to ensure power supply during irrigation season

To ensure uninterrupted power supply during the ongoing irrigation season and upcoming summer season, the government is going to halt gas supply to all fertiliser factories except Jamuna Fertilizer Factory. Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury, Energy Advisor to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, yesterday disclosed this while briefing reporters at Biduyt Bhaban in the city on four new power plant projects, which Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will formally inaugurate today through video-conferencing from her official residence Gano Bhaban. The four power plants began commercial generation a few months ago and have already added 535.2MW electricity in the national grid, added Power Division Secretary Monwar Islam. Among others, Mohammad Hossain, Director General of Power Cell; Dr Ahmed Kaikaus, Additional Secretary of Power Division; Shamsul Hassan Miah, Power Development Board Chairman; and REB Chairman Maj Gen Moinuddin were present on the occasion. Our main priority is to ensure maximum power supply to irrigation pumps during the summer for food (paddy) production, Tawfiq said. The government had taken similar decisions in the past to facilitate irrigation during summers. Officials said if gas supply to the seven of the eight fertiliser factories is halted, power plants would gain an additional 200 million cubic feet of gas a day (mmcfd), thus enhancing power generation by 500MW. The countrys irrigation season normally starts in March and continues till June, and the government has to supply additional 2000MW electricity to irrigation pumps. Tawfiq said the government has been trying to increase gas supply through import of LNG (liquefied gas supply). On an LNG project, for which the government signed initial deal, he said negotiations with an American company have been finalised. Power Division Secretary Monwar Islam said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will also inaugurate 6,000 new power connections in Kotalipara in Gopalganj. Of the four new power plant projects to be inaugurated today, two were built by independent power producers, namely the 52.2MW furnace oil-based plant in Comilla and 108MW furnace oil-based plant in Chittagong. The other two were built by a state-owned company, which include the 150MW furnace oil-based plant in Gazipur and 225 gas-based plant in Ashuganj, he added. The government aims to generate 24,000MW of electricity as part of its target of supplying power to every citizen by 2021. Around 80 per cent people have access to electricity and we want to increase this to 95 per cent within the current term of the government, Monwar stated.