Extra power generation
Photo: Shafiqul Islam Kajol / Driknews
This is a response to a report on the related matter published in the pages of a local English daily, some days back; where the writer was critical of the governments move to give away energy saving lamps to villagers. The distribution of 26,500,000 energy saving electric light bulbs is a wise step taken by the government. They deserve to be congratulated, rather than be criticised for it! Each energy saving lamp will save on an average of about 25 watts of electric power when it replaces a filament light bulb of say 40 watts! Therefore the total savings from all the lamps, usually lighted during the maximum demand period of 6:00 to 10:00pm, will add a minimum 500 MW of power to the national grid, particularly during the evening maximum demand period when practically all lights are on! It is at least equivalent to one power generation plant's capacity, if not more! The same measure was adopted by South Africa about a decade or so back; when their power generation capacity was marginal. Even at that time, their power generation situation was far better than in Bangladesh at any time since 1980s. Spending Tk.187.04 crore to make available over 500 MW of power is a cheaper option, considering the capital and operating cost of a 500 MW power plant. Also much time is saved. This method if diligently followed may take at most 12 months or less: while setting up a 500 MW power plant in a green field site will take at least five years if not more! We hope this measure will greatly improve REB's power supply position. They are the worst sufferers of the current power rationing practice, which gives lowest priority to the rural areas' electric supply, which is terrible, to say the least! Regarding discouraging the use of ACs in urban shops, I think this matter deserves immediate attention. This can be easily done by reducing the fuse rating to match only the lighting load in markets and shopping centres that is operated during the evening hours through a timer mechanism in the fuse circuit.
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