Expedite overhauling of closed power generation units
Adviser asks PDB officials
Unb, Dhaka
As the country is passing through electricity crisis, Power and Energy Adviser Tapan Chowdhury in a meeting with the power plant managers yesterday directed them to expedite the overhauling and maintenance works of a host of electricity-generation units.According to a Power Development Board (PDB) report, at present, a total of 16 generation units at different power stations across the country, having about 900MW capacity, are now laid under maintenance, rehabilitation and overhauling programmes. The closed units include Ghorasal two 55 MW units, Ashuganj Unit-1 and 5, Shikalbaha Steam turbine, Haripur Unit-1, 2 and 3, 20 MW Sylhet, Shahjibazar Unit-4, 8 and 9, Khulna 60 MW and 110 MW units, Khulna 110 MW KPCL and Baghabari Westmont 90 MW. The power adviser's directive came at a time when the country has been experiencing a severe power crisis as the generation shortages crossed 1,500 megawatts against a demand for more than 5,000 megawatts. The meeting was also attended by Power Secretary AKM Zafrullah Khan, Commandant of the Military Institute for Science and Technology Major General Abdul Wadud and PDB Chairman Khijir Khan. Tapan Chowdhury asked the officials of power ministry and the power stations to give top priority on expediting the ongoing maintenance and overhauling of the power plants. The works have to be completed as per schedule. "No negligence or unnecessary delay will be tolerated," he warned the concerned officials. He hoped that the power-supply situation would significantly improve if the closed generation units came back into generation after the maintenance exercise. Meeting sources said the adviser directed the officials of the private-sector Baghabari Westmont power plant to take measures for immediate commissioning of their under-implementation 45MW unit. He also asked the Power Ministry and PDB officials to extend cooperation in expediting the installation job of the 45MW unit.
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