Some amount of load-shedding in summer unavoidable: Adviser Fouzul
Effort is on to make a balance in tariff and subsidy in power sector, he says
There will be load-shedding in the ongoing summer despite the government's effort to maintain proper electricity supply during the summer, said Power, Energy, and Mineral Resources Adviser Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan today (26 April).
"Some amount of load-shedding in summer is unavoidable but we will try to keep it to a tolerable level," he said while addressing a seminar, titled "Energy Crisis: Way Forward", organised by Forum For Energy Reporters Bangladesh (FERB) in Dhaka.
FERB Chairman Shamim Jahangir chaired the programme while FERB Executive Director Sherajul Islam Shiraj moderated the seminar. It was also addressed by the energy adviser of the Consumer Association of Bangladesh, energy expert Dr Ijaj Hossain and the research director of Centre for Policy Dialogue.
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Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) Chairman Md Rezaul Karim and Petrobangla Chairman Md Rezanur Rahman were also present.
Terming the present tariff structure in power sector as extortionist, Fouzul said effort is on to make a balance in tariff and subsidy in power sector.
Some private power companies are making huge money because of the tariff structure that is to some extent extortionist, he said. "They became like Apple and are giving huge bonuses to the employees. We want to set a logical tariff structure in the power sector."
"The tariff of Matarbari power plant has been fixed at Tk8.45 per unit which will be used as a benchmark for renegotiating the tariffs of other coal fired power plants. We don't want to be forceful in restructuring the power tariff which is why we will talk with the power plant owner," Fouzul added.
About his Qatar visit and additional LNG supply, he said, "We have cleared all the dues of Qatar. We requested a concession in LNG price and Qatar assured us of a lower price if we buy more LNG."
