Closed 15 PDB power plants incurred loss of Tk 1,335 cr

Mahfuz Emran : The renovation of third unit of Ghorashal power plant started in 2020, which is not yet completed. The center was closed almost the whole time during last financial year. On the other hand, 862,500 MW of electricity is supplied from outside to the 260 MW capacity plant for experimental operation. A similar picture was at the Shahjibazar 330 MW Combined Cycle Power Plant (CCPP). 9 lakh 71 thousand 772 megawatts of electricity are supplied to the center from outside.
Sharebiz has found 15 such plants owned by the Power Development Board (PDB) that have stopped production in the financial year 2022-23. Nine out of these centers had negative power generation. Production in the remaining six was nil. However, these centers have to bear maintenance expenses and fixed expenses (salary and allowance of officers and employees, festival bonus etc.). As a result, PDB incurred loss about Tk 1,335 crore in the last financial year behind the power plant.
Even though electricity is supplied from outside, Shahjibazar 330 CCPP has to spend more than Tk 22.92 crore for maintenance. And the fixed cost of the center was Tk 405.08 crore. In all, PDB had to spend Tk 428 crore for the power plant, all of which was wasted. That is, the average negative cost in this center is Tk 4,405 taka
Similarly, more than Tk 1.28 crore had to be spent on the maintenance of Ghorashal third unit power plant. And the fixed cost of the center was Tk 418.40 crores. In total, PDB has to spend Tk 419.68 crore for the power plant. The average negative cost in that center is Tk 4,865.90.
A total of 73,609 units of electricity are supplied from outside at Bheramara Power Station and Tk 20.10 crores have been collected by PDB in this center. The average negative cost is Tk 2,730.86. Six lakh 34 thousand 281 units of electricity are supplied from outside in Siddhirganj power plant with capacity of 115 MW. PDB lost Tk 116.33 crore in the closed centre. That is, the average negative cost is Tk 1,834.07.
The 20 MW capacity Special Business Unit (SUB) built at Haripur was closed last financial year as usual. But in this center Two lakh 79 thousand 851 units of electricity are supplied from outside. In the closed center last financial year, PDB collected Tk 25.09 crore. That is, the average negative cost is Tk 896.70. 9 lakh 46 thousand 612 units of electricity are supplied from outside in Shikalbaha 150 MW power plant and Tk 59.58 crore has been collected by PDB behind the closed centre. That is, the average negative cost is Tk 629.39.
25,317 units of electricity have to be supplied from outside in the experimental operation of Sirajganj wind power plant. PDB has collected Tk 1.49 crore in this center of two megawatt capacity. That is, the average negative cost is Tk 590.11. 9 lakh 96 thousand 402 units of electricity have to be supplied from outside to keep the Shahjibazar 100 MW plant operational andTk 57.82 crore has been collected by PDB behind this centre. That is, the average negative cost is Tk 580.28.
1 lakh 78 thousand 607 units of electricity have to be supplied from outside to the closed Barisal gas turbine power plant. In this center, PDB lost Tk 8.15 crore. That is, the average negative expenditure is Tk 456.40. In total, 49 lakh 68 thousand 951 kilowatt hours have to be supplied from outside in 9 centers with negative production. And Tk 1,306.22 crore has been collected by PDB in 9 centers.
Meanwhile, power generation at Ghorashalfirst- and second-unit centers was stopped last financial year. PDB’s fixed expenditure for this center was Tk 169.91 crore, all of which has been spent. Similarly, the fixed cost of Shikalbaha Power Station, which has stopped generating electricity, was Tk 17.28 crore, which has been lost. Apart from this, Tk 5.62 crore were lost in DGD center of Dhaka, Tk 5 crore in Kutubdia diesel generator center, Tk 44 lakh in Sandwip diesel generator and Tk 36 lakh went behind Sonagazi wind power plant. In all, PDB has lost Tk 198.61 crore in six closed centers.