Closure of 10 plants not to affect power supply: Nasrul

State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid on Sunday assured that electricity supply would remain unaffected after closure of 10 coal-based power plants.

“Electricity supply to Dhaka, Mymensingh and Rangpur will not be affected after closure of 10 coal-based power plants as there is a surplus power generation now,” he said while briefing reporters at his ministry conference room.

The state minister said authorities would coordinate the supply of power to Dhaka, Mymensingh, and Rangpur regions from the national grid as per their respective demands and deficits.

He said the government cancelled the approval of the 10 power plants as their construction progresses were not satisfactory.

The power projects are — 1,320MW Patuakhali coal-based power plant, 1,200MW Uttarbanga Super Thermal Power Plant in Gaibandha, 522MW coal-based power plant at Mawa, 282MW coal-based power plant in Dhaka, 282MW coal-based power plant in Chattogram, 565MW coal-based power plant in Khulna, 1,320MW coal-based power plant at Moheskhali, 1,320MW coal-based power plant at Moheskhali, 700MW Bangladesh-Singapore coal-based ultra-super critical power plant, and 1,200MW CPGCL-Sumitomo Corporation joint venture plant.

The state minister said area-based electricity generation would be given priority in future.

“To expand trade and business, price of electricity and fuel must be kept at an affordable level. Low-cost power generation is one of the challenges,” he said.

Nasrul said hydropower would be imported from Nepal and Bhutan and the matter is almost final.

“We have to increase use of LNG in power generation. We have a plan to generate 40 per cent power from renewable energy sources by 2041,” he added.