Govt to import 1,450 MW electricity from Adani

To address the nagging power crisis in upcoming summer, the government plans to import at least 1,450 MW of electricity from the Indian private power company Adani from March.
"We are set to stop producing 1,000 MW of electricity  from high cost diesel fired power plant. so we need to procure power from Jharkand power plant by this time, which will cut our electricity production cost," State Minister for Power Energy and Minerals Resources Nasrul Hamid told reporters at Godda in Jharkand in India.
The Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources has arranged a media tour for the journalists to oversee the progress of the project.
"Initially they will supply around 800 MW on March 17 or 26 of 2023, we are aiming at starting commercial operation of the bulk import of power on March 17 or March 26 of 2023," Nasrul Hamid said.
To oversee the progress of this power plant, State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid along with the Power Division Secretary Md Habibur Rahman and Power Development Board (PDB) Chairman Mohammad Mahbubur Rahman visited the project site, Managing Director of Adani Power and senior officials of the group were also present.
"We will import around 800 MW of electricity from this plant from the middle of March, Adani has almost completed its task, we have also completed the transmission line work by this time. A dedicated power transmission line has been installed to evacuated the power from here," Nasrul Hamid said.
The cost of electricity from this power plant will be 14-17 cents per unit, which is around Tk 18 right now.
When the government signed the deal with Adani Power at that time it was said that the cost would     be Tk 8.17 for per unit.
"According to the Indian law no one can export power from India through using its own coal, we are procuring coal for this plant  from abroad including Australia, South Africa and Indonesia," Managing Director of Adani Power Anil Sardna told a group of journalists on Tuesday during a visit of Jharkhand 1,600 MW power plant.
Meanwhile, Institute of Energy Economics and Financial Analysis in its paper claimed that the Adani Group has included the installation cost of the transmission line of the Indian side into the power purchase agreement, which increase the price for Bangladesh.
Bangladesh is to pay extra Tk 70,000 crore to purchase power from this power plant for the next 25 years, the report claimed.
The Jharkhand power plant is Indian's first ever Ultra super critical power plant, Bangladesh's Rampal and Payra power plants have the same technology.
Replying to a question, Adani's Managing Director told reporters that when Bangladesh inked the deal with Adani at that time the price of coal was low, it was 3 to 5 cents now it is 14 to 17 cents.
"Fuel is a pass-through item, however, when the price of coal would be decrease across the globe then the tariff will be adjusted accordingly," Anil Sardani said.
State Minister Nasrul Hamid along with senior official of the Power Division will visit India to oversee the progress and complete the final task of this mega project from January 2 to 5.