8 local groups and India dominate BD power sector

Farhad Chowdhury: The power generation capacity in the country has increased continuously for the last 15 years. At this time, private investment was more than the public sector. Besides, several power plants have been constructed by foreign and domestic-foreign joint investment. Small and large domestic groups and foreign companies have joined it. However, private sector power generation capacity is mostly concentrated in the hands of a few industrial groups or India. As a result, a large part of the country’s electricity sector is under the control of a few groups and India.
This information is available by analyzing various reports of Power Development Board (PDB). In this case, it can be seen that Summit Group has the most control among the private companies in the country’s power sector. Currently there are 14 small and big power plants under this group. The latest addition to this is the 589 MW dual fuel (gas-diesel) Meghnaghat-2 Combined Cycle Power Plant (CCPP). Summit has another 335 MW Meghnaghat-1 dual fuel power plant (CCPP). And there is another 341 MW gas-based power plant (CCPP) of Summit at Bibiana.
Gazipur has two summit furnace oil fired power plants. Among these, the Kadda-1 plant has a capacity of 149 MW, known as Ace Alliance. And the capacity of Kodda-2 center is 300 MW. Besides Summit Barisal 110 MW, Summit Madanganj-1 55 MW and Madanganj-2 102 MW, Summit Power (Madhabadi and Ashulia) 80 MW, Mauna 33 MW, Rupganj 33 MW, Junglia 33 MW, Comilla 25 MW and Ullapara 11 MW Power Station Summit of the group.

Bangladesh imports 1,496 MW of electricity from India’s Adani Power’s Godda power plant in Jharkhand.
Although this coal-based plant was built in India, Bangladesh has a 25-year agreement to purchase electricity from it. Payra is the largest power plant built in the country in terms of capacity. The power plant owned by Bangladesh-China Power Company Limited (BCPCL) has a capacity of 1,244 MW. The Payra power plant is owned equally by Bangladesh’s state-owned Northwest Power Generation Company (NWPGCL) and China National Machinery Import and Export Corporation (CMC).
Rampal power plant owned by Bangladesh-India Friendship Power Company Limited (BIFPCL) is currently the second largest power plant in the country. The capacity of this coal-based power plant is 1,234 MW. Bangladesh’s PDB and India’s National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) each own 50 percent stake in the Rampal power plant. The SS Power plant jointly owned by S Alam Group of Bangladesh and SEPCO 3 of China has a capacity of 1,224 MW. This coal based plant is the third largest power plant in the country.
India controls the second largest power supply in the country. Bangladesh buys 160, 250 and 300 MW of electricity in three phases from NVVN (Vidyut Vapor Nigam Limited), a subsidiary of the country’s NTPC. Out of this 160 MW comes from Tripura. Besides, 250 MW comes from Sembcorp India and 200 MW from PTC. A total of 1,160 megawatts of electricity comes from five centers in India.
In terms of capacity, the country’s United Group ranks next in the country. The production capacity of six power plants of this group is 985 MW. However, another 590 MW power plant of this group is under construction. At present United Group’s largest center is located in Anwara. This 300 MW plant is furnace oil fired. Besides United Ashuganj 195 MW, Jamalpur 115 MW, Mymensingh 200 MW, Patuakhali 150 MW and Shahjahanullah Power 25 MW power stations are owned by United Group.
India’s Reliance Group has a 718 MW LNG (liquefied natural gas)-fired power plant under construction. It is scheduled to go into production soon. Orion Group, next in terms of capacity, has six power plants with a capacity of 611 MW. Among them is a 100 MW center for solar power. All the rest are furnace oil fired. Among them Orion Rupsa 105 MW, Siddhirganj 100 MW, Meghnaghat 100 MW and 104 MW and Gangabazar 102 MW.
Doreen Group has 9 power plants with a combined generating capacity of 611 MW. These include Narsingdi 22 MW, Feni 11 MW and 22 MW, Tangail 22 MW, Nawabganj 55 MW, Manikganj 55 MW and 162 MW, Chandpur 115 MW and Banko Energy 54 MW. And Unique Group’s 583 MW capacity LNG-fired power plant has recently started production.
Confidence Group’s five power plants have a capacity of 404 MW. These include Habiganj 11 MW, Bogra Unit-1 113 MW and Unit-2 113 MW, Rangpur 113 MW and Zaidak Power 54 MW. And Baraka Group’s four power plants have a capacity of 316 MW. These include Baraka Power (Barkatullah) 54 MW, Baraka Patenga 50 MW, Shiklbaha 105 MW and Karnaphuli 110 MW.