BartaBangla Report :: There will be no rental power plants in Bangladesh once there are larger plants for producing electricity, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said.
The assurance comes amid widespread criticism about the massive subsidies that go into the rental plants.
“We will not need rentals once we have bigger plants,” Hasina told Parliament on Wednesday. “But we will have to keep them as long as they are needed.”
The government spent more than Tk 170 billion in subsidies for these fuel-powered plants. Prices for both retail and bulk power were hiked 12 times, which is now affecting clients.
The government on Mar 13 raised power tariffs by 6.96 percent on average effective from this month.
The power plants in Bangladesh are currently producing nearly 10,000 MW of electricity and 20 percent of that is coming from the rental plants.
But the cost behind them is almost half the total cost for producing electricity.
Awami League MP AFM Bahauddin Nasim representing Madaripur-3 constituency put forward a question about rental plants for the prime minister to answer.
She, however, expressed anger at the criticisms around the expensive operation.
“There is so much talk about rentals. If that is what they want, I’ll shut them down today.”
She said her government, after coming to power in 2009 in her previous term, considered setting up rentals plants to quickly rid the country of electricity crisis.
“The quick rentals got the job done. There are fewer blackouts. Some forget past misery once they enjoy good times,” said the prime minister.
Rentals and quick rentals, a total of 13, got their first approval during the 2007-8 caretaker government regime. Twenty more were added after the previous Awami League-led government assumed power in 2009.
The prime minister rebutted the opponents, saying people in residential areas pay Tk 30 to 35 per unit to get electricity from fuel-based generators during a blackout.
“Rentals, quick rentals still cost lesser than that.”
“There are some people who criticise during crisis. They continue even when the matter is resolved. They sit in AC rooms and shout criticisms.”
“How about I stop them (rental plants) tomorrow? What happens then? Questions arise when something is solved. There is no talk if the problems remain.”
She also hinted that those who were voicing concern had their own personal agenda behind it.
“Why is there so much talk about rentals, quick rentals? Maybe some of them wanted to set up business but didn’t get to. Maybe that’s why.”