JSC meeting to develop power sectors in BD, India Sept 24-25

The 13th Joint Steering Committee (JSC) meeting on cooperation in the power sector between Bangladesh and India is scheduled to be held on September 24-25 in Sylhet to explore new areas and opportunities in developing the power sectors in both countries.
"To implement all projects under the umbrella of joint cooperation, we will sit to discuss as per the schedule to strengthen our bilateral ties during the two-day talks between the two countries," said Dr Ahmad Kaikaus, Secretary of the Power Division on Saturday.
He said Bangladesh-India power projects have been satisfactory as per present indications. "We need to work more to implement all other projects as per the schedule," he added.
Indian Power Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla will arrive in Dhaka today (Sunday). The working committee (Taskforce) will sit on September 24 and the steering committee to sit on September 26 to sign the joint declaration.
This time Ajay will not visit Bangladesh-India Friendship project, popularly known as 1,320MW coal-fired "Rampal Power Plant Project" at Bagerhat, but he will discuss about the installation of a solar power project there with same capacity. However, they will also discuss energy efficiency issue, possibility of importing another 360MW power from Tripura as Bangladesh government is planning to enhance the capacity of the substation to 500MW capacity for importing      power from Tripura, a senior official of the Power Division told the Daily Observer.
"This time we want to focus on sharing experience in implementing our plan to make a success in tapping the potential of solar roof top projects. We will also focus on long term power exchange projects," the official added, preferring anonymity.
In the recent years, more Indian companies have expressed their intent to work and invest in power production, laying gas pipeline and mining projects in Bangladesh, since prospects for regional economic development in the Eastern part of India have brightened considerably.
Reliance and Shapoorji Palonji, two major Indian groups, have submitted proposals to set up natural gas-based power stations in Bangladesh. Adani Group has already expressed their interest to invest in a coal power project. The projects will also be discussed, he added.
"Super thermal Rampal power project, a 250 MW power plant from a Private sector company, another 360MW power supply from Tripura State, tri-nation hydropower import issue among Bangladesh, Bhutan and India and 500 MW electricity import issue will dominate the talks," Kaikaus said.
During the meeting, Bangladesh will discuss the 'Guidelines on Cross-Border Trade of Electricity' law as Indian power regulatory body has adopted this new law on December 5 in 2016 to regulate its electricity trade with its neighbours. However, this issue has been dropped from the 12th JSC meeting.
"India has adopted the new trade guideline that allows only bilateral deal for importing power. But Bangladesh has been negotiating with Nepal and Bhutan for setting up mega hydroelectric power projects with consent of India for importing electricity through the Indian corridor. So we want to discuss the issue in the meeting if they allow," an official said.
"Dhaka has also initiated a move to set up a power plant in Nepal and import electricity from the plant. We don't know the future of the project as Bangladesh needs the Indian corridor to import it," he added.
Despite all these power projects Bangladesh also kicked off a dialogue with India in developing the Mining sector, MAPL, a West Bengal-based company, has secured permission to launch a feasibility study for a proposed scheme to produce methane gas from Jamalganj coal field in Bangladesh,
import of liquefied Natural Gas areas are the other opportunity to discuss in another meeting in future.