World Bank lends $500m to modernise power system in Bangladesh

[bluesky]

World Bank lends $500m to modernise power system in Bangladesh

The World Bank has approved US$500 million to help Bangladesh expand and modernise the electricity distribution system and support the sustainable transformation of its electricity system. The ‘Electricity Distribution Modernization Program’ will deliver improved electricity servic

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

World Bank lends $500m to modernise power system in Bangladesh
FE ONLINE REPORT | Published: December 22, 2021 16:02:50 | Updated: December 22, 2021 20:18:38

The World Bank has approved US$500 million to help Bangladesh expand and modernise the electricity distribution system and support the sustainable transformation of its electricity system.
The ‘Electricity Distribution Modernization Program’ will deliver improved electricity services to about 40 million people in Dhaka and Mymensingh Division, said a media release on Wednesday.

The lend, approved on Tuesday, will upgrade and construct more than 31,000 km of distribution lines, 157 distribution substations, and related infrastructure, and incorporate measures to increase climate resilience of network infrastructure in 25 rural electric cooperatives (Palli Bidyut Samities) in Bangladesh Rural Electrification Board, said the release.
Network investment will be paired with new and advanced technologies to help modernising and transform the electricity system, it added.

“In the last decade, Bangladesh achieved a more than fourfold increase in electricity generation capacity and delivered electricity connections to more than 99 per cent of its population. But the electricity distribution network could not keep pace with the remarkable increase in electricity generation,” said Dandan Chen, World Bank Acting Country Director for Bangladesh.
“This programme will help modernise and ensure climate resilience of the distribution network, which is the backbone of a secure and reliable power system,” the official added.
The programme will introduce a modern grid system that can support the two-way flow of electricity and information, minimising and recovering quickly from climate and cyber risks, including natural disasters and extreme weather events.
It will introduce state-of-art technologies such as Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition System and install Advanced Metering Infrastructure.
It will support the decarbonisation of the power sector by facilitating the integration of renewable energy and Battery Energy Storage Systems in the electricity distribution network. All these will lead to a sustainable transformation of the electricity system.
“Since 2009, Bangladesh Rural Electrification Board (BREB) has implemented one of the largest rural electrification programmes in the world, delivering access to more than 90 million people,” said Bipul Singh, a senior energy specialist of the World Bank and task team leader of the programme.
“With the access agenda nearing completion, this programme will strengthen BREB’s ability to deliver reliable electricity supply and support the energy transition in Bangladesh.”
The credit is from the World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA), which provides concessional financing, has a 30-year term, including a five-year grace period. In addition, the programme also includes a $15 million grant from the Clean Technology Fund (CTF), the media release mentioned.

Including this programme, the World Bank has over $1.8 billion ongoing support in Bangladesh’s energy sector, covering generation, transmission, and distribution of power, including from renewable energy sources. Since 1981, the World Bank has partnered with BREB to support the government’s electrification and access programmes.
Bangladesh currently has the largest ongoing IDA programme totalling over $14 billion in support. The World Bank was among the first development partners to support Bangladesh and has committed more than $35 billion in grants, interest-free and concessional credits to the country since its Independence.
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[Bilal9]

$500 million well spent on this, but I am sure the majority of this money will go to line the bank accounts of bureaucrats and ministers involved. The operative word here is "lending" and not "grants". The people in our country will have to pay this back.

Some relevant details about REB's effort to provide 100% electricity coverage to Bangladesh villages:

461 upazilas (sub-districts) in Bangladesh electrical grid brought under 100% power coverage
BSS

• Published at 07:35 pm November 26th, 2020

Photo: SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

Nasrul Hamid says the government has a target to bring 100% population of the country under electricity coverage by December this year
Bangladesh Rural Electrification Board (BREB) has brought all the 461 upazilas on grid under 100% electrification.

“All 461 upazilas on grid were brought under 100% coverage while 1059 villages off grind will come under the same program by the Mujib Year” an official familiar with the process told BSS on Thursday.

He said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had already inaugurated 100% electricity coverage of 288 upazilas. The remaining 173 upazilas were waiting for formal opening by the prime minister.

Besides, relentless efforts are underway to bring 1059 villages off grid located in remote areas by the Mujib Year, the official said.

He said the BREB has been working to bring Char Kukri Mukri, Tajumuddin, Rangabali, Char Kajal, Char Biswas, Mujib Nagar and other remote villages, adding: “The remote 1059 villages off grid located under 68 upazilas.”

Talking to BSS, State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid, said the government has a target to bring 100% population of the country under electricity coverage by December this year.

“We will be able to switch on lights in all households by Mujib Year, marking the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman,” he said.

Also Read - Efforts underway for uninterrupted, quality power supply at affordable price

Nasrul Hamid said since return to power, the present government constructed 111 new power plants having generation capacity of 18,606 MW in the last 11 years after taking time-befitting, realistic and sustainable steps.

He said currently the country’s power generation capacity reaches 23,548 MW while about 98% people of the country were brought under power coverage.

The state minister, however, mentioned that the BREB and other distribution companies have been working relentlessly to achieve the goal of making electricity accessible to all.

The power division data showed that the transmission line capacity has increased to 12,379 circuit line kilometres while the distribution line has enhanced to 588,000 kilometres.

It said the number of total electricity consumers has reached to 3.87 crore and per capita power generation reached to 512Kwh, which was only 220 in 2009. Per capita power consumption reached 488Kwh as of 2020. Consumption is relatively low because of absence of large industrial consumers, concerned officials mentioned.

Talking to BSS, Director General of Power Cell Engineer Mohammad Hossain that the present government has achieved tremendous success in the enhancement of power generation capacity to make the country self-reliant in electricity supply and help reach power to every house.

He said the government has a plan to generate 60,000 MW by 2041, while power generation capacity reached to 24,000 MW at this time including captive and renewable energy.

 

[bluesky]

Above is a photograph of many electric poles that carry power in the villages. At the very right there seems to be a power substation.

The electric poles are good for distributing power in the townships but our great ERB is using this two-hundred-year-old method of digging soil and putting a pole there.

Yet, the country's govt claims we are developing. No development unless the country's population does the design analysis of the steel structure of the pylons by taking into consideration the wind force during the cyclones.