Aiming to ensure cent percent electricity by 2021, the government signed contracts with private and public sponsors to set up 130 power plants having a total capacity of 23,861 megawatt (MW), reports BSS.

“Of the contracts, 67 power plants having generation capacity of 7,800 MW have already been commissioned while 63 power plants with 15,967 MW are under construction,” Chairman of Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) Engineering Khaled Mahmood told the news agency in the capital yesterday.

He said the present government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has installed 88 power plants with a generation capacity of 8,819 MW and has been importing 660 MW electricity since 2009 from neighbouring India.

“The BPDB has taken a massive capacity expansion plan to add about 11,600 MW in next five years to achieve 24000 MW target by 2021 with the aim to provide quality and reliable electricity to all the people of the country for desired economic and social development,” Khaled said.

He said the government has been working to complete all the power plants within the stipulated time as part of “Sheikh Hasina’s 10 Initiatives: Electricity to All by 2021.”