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Dhaka Friday,  Mar 29, 2024

Time has come to replace inefficient captive power plants: Tawfiq

Prime Minister’s Adviser Dr Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chow-dhury Saturday said the government is considering to enact a law to legally compel the consumers to save energy by ensuring its efficient use to cope with the yawning demand-supply gap.

He said under the plan, industrial and domestic users will be given a certain period of time to replace their old and inefficient energy equipment with efficient ones.

“If the consumers fail to go for efficient use, the supply of energy to them will be stopped,” said Mr Chowdhury.

The adviser unveiled the government’s plan while speaking at a seminar at the Petrobangla organised to mark the National Energy Security Day 2014.

Presided over by Energy Secretary Abu Bakar Siddique, the function was addressed, among others, by State Minister for the Ministry of Power, and Energy and Mineral Resources (MPEMR) Nasrul Hamid, Chairman of parliamentary standing committee on MPEMR Tajul Islam, and Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) chairman AR Khan.

State-owned Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration and Production Company Ltd (BAPEX), was awarded the ‘Energy Medal 2014’ for its contribution in energy sector.

The day is being observed for the last several years to mark the purchase of five gas fields from the Shell Oil at a nominal price on August 9, 1975 by the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Speaking on the occasion, the adviser said after several years of relaxation, time has come to force the consumers through legal process to save energy.

Referring to a research paper prepared by a Nobel Prize winner, he said efficient energy use by efficient devices could save one third of use in homes and industries.

The government must take decisions on all important issues regarding energy within one year to ensure future energy security, Mr Nasrul Hamid said.

The issues include utilisation of local coal and minerals and natural gas use in different sectors, he said.

He said many developed countries including the USA, the UK, China and India are interested to invest in the country’s oil and gas sectors, which was rare in the past.

“We are now dreaming to be a middle-income country by 2021 and developed country by 2041,” he said.

To reach the target, development of human resources is necessary, he said.

The country requires efficient geologists, miners, engineers and researchers in energy sector, said Mr Hamid.

Currently Bangladesh is in an advantageous position with its demographic position as 60 per cent of its total population is in the age below 40, he said.

The country would get the demographic dividend until next 27 years, he said, adding development must be struck within this period.

The state minister appreciated the BAPEX for its role in energy sector and stressed expansion of its activities outside the territory as an international company.

He also criticised the last BNP-led alliance government for its failure to take right decisions in energy sector, particularly over allowing India to carry Myanmar gas through the Bangladesh territory, which he said could ensure rights to get Myanmar gas.

Power Secretary Monwar Islam said the Power Division has converted a good number of simple cycle power plants into combined cycle ones to raise their efficiency with the use of the same gas supply.

He said now the time has come to replace the inefficient captive power plants with efficient ones.

Petrobangla chairman Dr. Hussain Monsur, Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) chairman Yunusur Rahman and Geological Survey director general Sirajur Rahman Khan also addressed the seminar.

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