2017 sees addition of 1337 MW power to national grid


FE Team | Published: December 31, 2017 21:17:17 | Updated: January 01, 2018 18:30:11


2017 sees addition of 1337 MW power to national grid

1337 Mega Watts (MW) of power was added to the national grid from December 30 of 2016 to December 30 of 2017.

State-owned Power Development Board (PDB) revealed the information of Sunday.

UNB, in according to official statics posted on PDB website, says country's installed capacity reached 13,701 MW from 12,364 MW during the period.

Data show the number of power plants increased to 112 at the end of 2017 from 108 in December 2016.

The actual capacity of the total power generation units went up to 13,147 MW from 12,500 MW in 2017.

However, the country's actual generation in the evening on December 30 in the outgoing year was 7,812 MW while this was 6595 MW in the evening on December 30 of 2016.

But during the day's peak hour, the generation went down to 5566 MW as demand decreased during the daytime due to load-shedding.

PDB officials said though the country's generation capacity is over 13,000 MW, the authorities have to decrease the generation due to low demand amid chilly weather in December.

They said the generation goes up and down with fluctuation in the temperature.

"If the demand falls, we have to decrease our generation output by shutting down a number of plants in accordance with the load despatch centre's directive," said a top official of a PDB power plant.

The government has set a target to increase the power generation to 24,000 MW by 2021.

But the load-shedding in July-August of the outgoing year prompted the government to undertake a move to add 1800 MW electricity on an emergency basis to the national grid within October in 2018 ahead of the general election.

Share if you like