State Minister for Power, Energy, and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid on Tuesday urged Chinese companies to make more investment in different segments of Bangladesh’s power sector.
He made the call through a videoconference while addressing the signing ceremony of two companies — NWPGCL from Dhaka and CMC from Beijing —to form a joint venture company in the renewable energy sector to implement different projects in the country.
As per the agreement, the new company, named Bangladesh China Power Company Limited (Renewable), will set up several solar power plants having a total capacity of 500 MW in different places across the country.
The first such project will be a 310 MW solar power plant.
The CMC (China Export Import National Machinery Corporation) has already had a partnership with the NWPGCL (North-West Power Generation Company) which earlier formed a company - BCPCL to implement a 1320 MW coal-fired power plant in Payra
The first unit, having 660 MW, of the 1320 MW started generation to supply power the national grid.
The virtual function was attended by Chinese ambassador LI Jimping, Prime Minister’s Principal Secretary Dr Ahmad Kaikaus, Power Secretary Dr Sultan Ahmed, PDB Chairman Belayet Hossain, and NWPGCL CEO Khurshid Alam.
Appreciating CMC’s role in Bangladesh to develop the power sector, Nasrul Hamid said the Chinese company has been a prime investor in the sector.
He urged CMC to come forward to invest in the other sources of renewables such as converting waste to energy and wind power besides its initiative for solar power.
Nasrul Hamid mentioned that Bangladesh and China share a very strong bond.
He said that the government has initiated a move to set up 23 solar power plants of having 1220.77 MW, mainly of rooftop and floating plants because of the scarcity of non-agricultural lands.
He said wind and waste to energy power plants are also included in the government’s initiatives.
