Project to ease power crisis in Ctg

Tag : Power Connection
Chittagong Power Development Board (PDB) will install 350-kilometrepower distribution lines and renovate 153-kilometre old electricitylines in Chittagong division under a project this year.

Once the Tk 118 crore project is implemented, the people of remoteareas in Chittagong division will get new power connections and thefrequency of loadshedding in the port city will decline to someextent, PDB officials said.

The existing power lines face tremendous pressure because of theincreasing demand for power and lack of initiative to renovate thelines. As a result, new connection seekers have to wait for long toget electricity connections, PDB sources said.

Under the new project, subscribers of Hathazari and Satkaniaupazilas under Chittagong and Chakaria under Cox's Bazar, Laksamand Chouddagram under Comilla and Burishchar under Brahmanbariawill get new power connections while some areas outside Feni,Comilla, Noakhali, Brahmanbaria and Khagrachhari towns will alsoreap benefits after a span of 25 years, they added.

Besides, five new sub-stations of 33/11 KV capacity and 174 newtransformers will be installed under the project in the division.

The project was approved by Ecnec at a meeting in March and theprocess for planning, estimation and other related work will startthis month, said PDB Superintendent Engineer Khandaker AzizurRahman.

PDB acting Chief Engineer Shibu Kumar Chowdhury said the projectaims to address the increasing demand and smooth supply of power inChittagong region.

However, generating power in an affordable rate for the subscribersis needed to get rid of the acute power crisis facing the countryfor long, Shibu said, adding that the shortage of gas is the mainreason disrupting power generation to a large extent.

He also said relocation of the garment factories and heavyindustries outside the city will improve the situation in urbanareas.

On the other hand, the Greater Chittagong Power DistributionProject (third phase) at a cost of Tk 870 crore has almost beencompleted last month.

Under the project, three 132/33 KV new substations at Julda andShahmirpur on the south bank of the river Karnaphuli and Bakalia inthe city while two other 33/11 KV substations at Rampur andMuradpur in the city were installed.

Besides, 1161-kilometre new distribution lines were installed and1124-kilometre old lines were renovated under the project while1500 distribution transformers were also installed in Chittagongand Cox's Bazar.

Khandaker Azizur Rahman, director of the project, said people ofthe port city have already started getting benefits from theproject.

He said implementation of the two projects will help the people ofthis region avoid unexpected power disruption.