Staff Correspondent

The government is soon likely to invite private entrepreneurs to install mini-power plants and transmission and distribution systems in six remote upazilas which cannot be connected to the national power grid in the near future.

The Power Cell has already prepared pre-qualification documents for selecting the entrepreneurs who will be allowed to participate in the tender for distributing electricity in Swandip by setting up a mini-power plant there as per the recently approved guideline called Remote Area Power Supply System (RAPSS).

'We have already sent the pre-qualification documents to the Power Division for approval. Pre-qualification documents for power generation, transmission and distribution in five other places will be prepared soon,' said a Power Cell source.

The upazilas include Patgram and Hatibanda in Lalmonirhat, Dehata in Satkhira, Ashasoni and the islands of Kutubdia and Swandip.

Power secretary M Fouzul Kabir Khan told this correspondent on Tuesday that they had a plan to simultaneously invite private entrepreneurs for installing power systems in these six remote areas.

He said that the selected entrepreneurs would install power plants, conventional or renewable, and supply electricity to consumers by setting up transmission and distribution lines. Sources in the Power Cell said that the pre-qualified investors would be asked to submit 'requests for proposals' in which they would quote the prices of electricity for the consumers.

'The lowest bidder may be selected for installation of the power system if it fulfils the technical qualifications,' said a source. He, however, said that they were yet to finalise the selection criteria.

The interim government last year approved the RAPSS to set up mini-power plants with a minimum generation capacity of 1 MW in 15 remote areas in the country.

The remote areas are mostly islands and haors where it will be difficult to supply the on-grid electricity. The power officials said that they were planning to run some of these power plants with CNG.

'The interested bidders will be able to use CNG as fuel for the plants if they find it cost-effective after having it carried by barges,' said an official.

The bidders will also be able to set up solar panels or bio-gas plants as sources of power or install power plants powered by liquid fuel. Gazettes, laws to go online

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