SHARIATPUR, June 20: The use of environmentally friendly green energy in the maintenance and operation of the country’s mega infrastructure Padma Bridge is lighting the entire bridge service area, thus saving a huge amount of electricity bill and power adding to the national grid.
According to relevant office sources, the work of installing a rooftop solar system with a capacity of about 6.03 megawatts (MW) has been successfully completed in Service Area-1, -2 and -3 of the Padma Bridge area under the Bangladesh Bridge Authority, following the “Net Metering Guidelines 2025”. The contracting company ‘Omera Renewable Energy’ got the job of solar panel installation through open tender that has already been completed in all three service areas. Among them, a 2.39 MW solar system has been installed in Padma Bridge Service Area-1, 2.49 MW in Service Area-2 and 1.15 MW in Service Area-3. Meanwhile, this system with a capacity of 2.49 MW peak (MWp) has been successfully installed and commissioned in Padma Bridge Service Area-2 in Shariatpur site.
According to sources at the Padma Bridge Service Area-2 office in Shariatpur section, there is no possibility of any electricity bill this June due to the use of solar power in Service Area-2. Only a bill of Tk 75,714 may be received for demand charges. The electricity bill in May in the Padma Bridge Service Area was Tk 5,21,064. At least 54,000 units were supplied to the national grid in May, and 34,000 units were used from the Shariatpur Rural Electricity. The Bangladesh Bridge Authority has quoted 2,000 units. The total capacity in Service Area-1, -2 and -3 is 6.03 MW. Net metering system is underway in Service Area-1 and -3. The electricity taken from the grid at night or on cloudy days is being adjusted with the electricity supplied during the day.
Arif, Babul Mia, Md Farukh Hossain, Shafiqul Islam and Matiur Rahman, who live in the service area, said, “We are running our electric equipment through solar energy. There is no problem in storms and rains.”
Executive Engineer (Toll, Bridge & BEF and Road RTW & Building) Abu Sayad said, “In addition to maintaining the environmental balance, solar energy is also being added to the national grid after meeting own needs.”
Sheikh Ishtiaq Ahmed, Additional Director of Bangladesh Bridge Authority (Padma Bridge Site Office), said, “Solar power generated from Padma Bridge Service Area-2 and -3 is being supplied to the national grid. Since May, the solar power generated by Service Area-2 has been supplied to the national grid through net metering system after meeting its own needs. In May, 54,000 units of solar power were generated and 34,000 units were used. Additional 20,000 units have been supplied to the national grid. When the total project will be completed, 6.03 MW of solar power will be generated from the three service areas.”
In a statement regarding the electricity savings due to the use of solar systems in the Padma Bridge service area, Mohammad Abdur Rouf, Secretary of the Bridge Division and Executive Director of the Bangladesh Bridge Authority, said, “This successful application of renewable energy in a national facility like the Padma Bridge is very important. It is not only reducing the cost of electricity bills, but also playing a major role in protecting the environment and reducing carbon emissions. The bridge authority will always play a pioneering role in implementing the government’s visionary policies.”
