Govt eyes 5,000MW solar power before next summer

The government aims to generate 5,000 megawatts of electricity from solar power before next summer to tackle the energy crisis and rising power generation costs, Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hassan Mahmood said on Thursday.

“We are targeting to bring 5,000 megawatts of solar power before next summer,” he said at an exchange meeting with officials at the Rajshahi Deputy Commissioner's Office.

Urging people to install rooftop solar panels, the minister said the government would buy surplus electricity generated by individuals at Tk 10 per unit. He called on people to support the initiative to ease the power crisis while sustaining the agricultural economy.

“Over the past eight months, the government has had to provide Tk 46,000 crore in subsidies for electricity supply.
Due to the war, the electricity and energy crisis has intensified across the world. In this situation, there is no effective alternative to increasing the use of solar power to tackle the country's energy crisis,” he said.

Greater use of solar power would reduce dependence on conventional fuels, lower generation costs and ease the government's subsidy burden, he added.

He said government officials at all levels had been instructed to take necessary steps to purchase electricity generated through individual rooftop solar panels at Tk 10 per unit, urging both officials and the public to help implement the initiative.

Land Minister Mizanur Rahman Minu, Rajshahi-6 MP Abu Sayeed Chand, Rajshahi-5 MP Nazrul Islam Mondal, Rajshahi-3 MP Mohammad Shafiqul Haque Milon, Rajshahi City Corporation Administrator Mahfuzur Rahman Riton and officials from different government agencies were present at the meeting, according to the Power Division.