Process to import 500MW hydropower from Nepal at final stage: Nasrul
State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid on Tuesday said process remains at almost final stage to import 500 megawatt hydropower electric power from Nepal.
"We want to import more hydropower from Nepal and Bhutan. The matter to import electricity from Indian power market also remains in active consideration. The World Bank can work in this regard to enhance efficiency of the officials," he said.
He was addressing a bilateral meeting between the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources and a delegation of World Bank at the ministry's conference room at the Secretariat in Dhaka.
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Nasrul Hamid led a seven-member delegation of Power Division and Energy and Mineral Resources Division while World Bank (WB) Regional Vice-President for South Asia Martin Raiser led an eight-member delegation of the WB.
Issues relating to cross border trade, regional power pool, South Asian regional power market, import of electricity from Nepal and Bhutan and e-mobility were discussed in the meeting.
Existing and future projects of the power sector were also highlighted.
The state minister said 2,000 mw electricity will be generated from renewable sources within two years next.
More 6,000 mw electricity generation from renewable sources within 5-6 years is in pipeline, he mentioned.
Bangladesh has cancelled plans to build 10 coal-based power plants involving $12 billion foreign investment but such amount of investment is not coming in renewable energy sector, he said.
Nasrul Hamid said Power Division is working enthusiastically for the expansion of electrical vehicles.
Noting that electric vehicle (EV) guideline or policy has already been prepared, he said around 4 million easy-bikes (battery-run three wheelers) are operating in Bangladesh now.
Lithium batteries should be used here instead of lead batteries, he suggested.
The state minister said the Power Division is also working to transfer transmission power line in private sector.
Energy and Mineral Resources Secretary Dr Md Khairuzzaman Mozumder, Power Division Additional Secretary Nurul Alam, WB Country Director Abdoulaye Seck, its Operation Manager Dandan Chen and Operation Adviser Gayle Martin were present in the meeting, among others.
