3 MW hybrid power plant for Monpura island
The West Zone Power Distribution Company will buy electricity from the power plant for Tk21.86 per unit and sell it to customers at a rate set by the government for 20 years
A 3 MW hybrid power plant with solar panels, diesel generators, and a battery storage system is being set up to supply electricity to Bhola's Monpura island which is isolated from the mainland.
The West Zone Power Distribution Company Limited (WZPDCL) and Western Monpura Solar Power Limited (WMSPL) will jointly implement the power plant project.
Nirod Chandra Mondal, joint secretary at the Power Division, Md Alamgir Kabir, secretary of WZPDCL, and Bashir Ahmed, managing director of WMSPL, signed an agreement on behalf of their respective organisations in this regard at Bidyut Bhaban on Monday.
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According to the agreement, the West Zone Power Distribution Company will purchase electricity from this power plant at Tk21.86 per unit and sell it to customers at a rate set by the government for 20 years after its construction is completed.
Currently, the average price per unit of electricity at the consumer level as determined by the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission is Tk7.13.
Under the project, a 10 MW solar panel, and a 20 MW lithium-ion battery energy storage system will be set up.
There will also be two 1,25 MVA diesel generators as backup to ensure uninterrupted power supply to the island during natural calamities or on cloudy days.
At least 30,000 kilowatt hours of electricity will be available from the power plant every day.
Around 20,483 consumers of Monpura island will get electricity from the power plant at the Energy Regulatory Commission's rate. As a result, the people's quality of life will improve with the development of employment, industrialisation, and tourism on the island.
Monpura island at the Meghna estuary is about 18 km from the mainland and around 96 km from a national electricity grid substation.
Currently, 2,303 customers on the island are getting electricity from three mini grids with a capacity of 675kWp, 853 customers from a 1.66 MVA diesel generator, and other customers from a solar power system. However, these infrastructures cannot supply electricity to all consumers on the island at the government rate throughout the day.
All consumers on the island can be supplied with electricity at the government price once the new power plant is set up, said Md Matiur Rahman, the project director.
In his speech as chief guest at the contract signing ceremony, Power Division Secretary Md Habibur Rahman said the energy of the future is renewable energy. The government's commitment to transitioning to green energy is also encouraging the expansion of renewable energy.
Regarding the current energy crisis, the Power Division secretary said it would be easier to deal with the current situation if the country could produce more electricity from renewable sources.
