DHAKA: The life time of Bheramara Power Station was expired about 13 years back. Still then it is running with temporary patchwork. Apparently though it looks good but the country is facing two fold losses.
On the one hand double money is wasted every year for rehabilitation, on the other hand it is not producing optimum electricity using excessive diesel resulting the production increased cost at a gallop rate.
Generally diesel fuelled per unit electricity cost around Tk 16 to 18.
But, the Bheramara station costs Tk 32 per unit according to the report of 2013. This is inflicting a loss of Tk 7.20 lakh to Power Development Board (PDB) in an hour.
There are three units at the Bheramara Power Station with the capacity of 60 megawatt owned by PDB. Of the three units two were set up in 1976 while the other was set up in 1980.
During installation the life of the station was estimated for 15 years. After a major overhauling its life time was extended for 25 years. That revised new life-time expired in 2000.
Still then the station is running for the last 13 years with regular patch up and repair works. Earlier government decided to close the old generating station but it was not done. As the generating station has become too old it cannot produce optimum power.
Now it can produce highest 45-megawatt of power if it is given full load but it costs the same Tk 1.80 lakh for running one hour.
So, on one hand the fuel consuming cost is increasing on the other hand huge money is being spent for its frequent maintenance and repair.
In the current fiscal Taka 38 lakh has been allocated for repair and maintenance. Manager of the station Engineer Mir Ruhul Quddus told banglanews that the amount is insufficient for the job of maintenance.
Though there is better alternative due to lack of planning and initiatives the PDB is incurring a loss of Tk 7.20 lakh in an hour. However, the ill business attitude of the higher authorities is also responsible for this loss in the name of repair.
Engineer Mir Ruhul Quddus informed that in 2002 Japan Consulting Institute (JCI) made a feasibility study. They wanted to replace the generating machineries at a less expenditure keeping the old infrastructure.
The old machineries could have been replaced within six months time, informed Mir Quddus.
JIC proposed to set up gas based machineries keeping the storage tank, service tank, sub-station and transmission line, water supply system and control room intact. If that replacement could be done the generation of power would have increased. The production cost also could come down.
PDB could save huge maintenance and repair cost annually. Besides, if modern machineries could have been installed the power could be produced at a cheaper cost.
That Japanese firm placed two separate proposals for replacing the Bheramara power station. The fund could be supplied by the government either if not they would have arranged fund at their own. They also proposed to arrange fund with the help if JICA.
But the firm went back as the then government did not give any green signal. However, the firm had given a study report, informed the manager.
A number of officials of Bheramara power station informed that the government is facing a lot of problems including acquiring land at different places for setting up new power plants. But an area of 64.83 acres of land of this station is lying unutilized. Even the government is not properly utilizing the land.
Whenever you go for constructing new plants, crores of money is spent for constructing the infrastructure. But here there will be no need for new infrastructure. Government should give attention at this. The concerned people think without any new manpower increased power generation is possible. There is full-fledged staff with 27 officials, 22 engineers and 155 others categorized man power.
In this complete power station there are school, mosque, club building, separate canteen building, rest house, residential accommodation of the staff, dormitory, store building, Ansar Barrack and sweeper colony.
There is a rail line connecting Bheramara for fuel supply which was built during station construction.
The concerned further informed that whenever you will go for setting a new power station you will have to spend abound a thousand crore. They are simply surprised that why this opportunity is not utilized.
In contrast, not very far from here North West Power Generation Company is setting up a new power station. Infrastructure development work is going on there.
Power Division Secretary Monowar Islam informed Banglanews that it is fact that the production cost at the old plants is excessive. But under compulsion those are being run.
When the midterm plants will come to operation then there will be a balance. Government has a plan to rehabilitate the old plants at that time.The power secretary further informed that every year the maintenance is continuing according to planning.
BDST: 1740 HRS, FEB 09, 2014
