Gas ‘to be diverted to irrigation pumps’

The government will gradually halt gas supply to all the fertilizer factories except Jamuna Fertiliser Factory in the coming summer to divert it to irrigation pumps and power plants.

 

Prime Minister's Energy Adviser Dr Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury disclosed this while briefing reporters at Buduyt Bhaban in the city on five new power projects which Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will formally inaugurate on Thursday through a video conference, reports the UNB.

 

"Our main priority is to ensure maximum power supply to irrigation pumps during the summer for food (paddy) production," Taufiq-e-Elahi said.

 

This is, however, not the first time the government has taken such a decision as it has been doing so for the last five years to facilitate irrigation during the summer.

 

Officials said if the gas supply to seven fertilizer factories, out of eight, is halted, the power plants will get additional 225 million cubic feet of gas a day (mmcfd) which will enhance power generation by 500 MW.

 

The country's irrigation season normally starts in March and continues till June, and the government has to supply additional 2000 MW electricity to irrigation pumps.

 

According to a World Bank report, there are 1.34 million diesel and 270,000 electric run pumps used for irrigation.

 

Tawfiq-e-Elahi said the government has been trying to increase gas supply through the import of LNG (liquefied gas supply).

 

About an LNG project for which the government signed initial deal, he said negotiation with the American company has been finalized and the final deal will be signed when its officials will arrive here within the next few months.

 

He said the power generation has improved to a significant level as now the country's 80 percent people have access to electricity. "We want to increase it to 95 percent within the current term of the government."

 

Power secretary Monwar Islam said the number of power consumers now reached two crore from 1.08 crore in 2009.

 

He, however, said the load-shedding will not stop until development programs in transmission and distribution are completed. "Earlier, the government put priority to power generation and now the focus is on transmission and distribution."

 

The power secretary said the five power projects which the Prime Minister will inaugurate on Thursday are four power generation plants and one for providing new electricity connections to 6,000 consumers at Kotalipara upazila in Gopalganj district.

 

All the four power generation projects are already in generation and supplying power to the national grid.

 

Of these, the 108 MW Patiya and Jangalia 52 MW power plants were set up by private sector as independent power producer (IPP) while 225 MW Ashuganj unit and 150 MW Gazipur power plants were set up by the government agencies.