The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) has approved Shikalbaha 225 MW Duel-fuel Combined Cycle Power Plant project aimed at reducing power shortage and meeting growing demand of power in greater Chittagong region.
 
The approval was given at its meeting held at the NEC conference room in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar on February 19 with ECNEC chairperson and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.
 
The meeting approved  a total of eight development projects including Shikalbaha 225 MW Duel-fuel Combined Cycle Power Plant will require Taka 7,882 crore for implementation.
 
The Shikalbaha 225 MW project would be implemented on PDB’s land near the existing Shikalbaha Power Plant.
 
The Project would ensure uninterrupted and reliable power supply to Chittagong region. Four development partners in the Middle-East ( Saudi Arabia , Kuwait , UAE and OPEC fund) will provide Taka 1,375 crore for the project.
 
The ECNEC meeting also approved another revised project to establish grid interconnection between Bangladesh and India for transfer of power involving an estimated cost of Taka 1,580 crore.
 
The project relating to power transfer to and from India would be implemented under the aegis of South Asian sub-regional co- operation.
 
The project includes construction of 31 km transmission line and two substations and acquisition and development of 113 acres of land in Bangladesh .
 
Ministers, Advisers to the Prime Minister, Members of the Planning Commission, Secretaries and Officials concerned were present in the meeting.