Govt plans expansion of power substations to strengthen electricity distribution capacity

The government has undertaken extensive initiatives to ensure uninterrupted electricity supply across the country and modernise the power distribution system.

Currently, a total of 1,834 power substations are operational under various distribution agencies, and there are plans to increase distribution capacity by an additional 6,255 MVA by 2031 to meet the growing demand at the consumer level.

Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hassan Mahmood disclosed the information in parliament on Thursday while responding to a written question from Feni-2 constituency Member of Parliament Joynal Abdin. He presented an overview of the current state of the power sector and the government’s future plans.

Current status of substations

According to the data presented in parliament, the 1,834 substations are operated by six power distribution agencies. Of these, the Bangladesh Rural Electrification Board (BREB) operates 1,306 substations, the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) operates 187, Dhaka Power Distribution Company Limited (DPDC) operates 99, the West Zone Power Distribution Company Limited (WZPDCL) operates 97, the Dhaka Electric Supply Company Limited (DESCO) operates 60, and the Northern Electricity Supply Company Limited (NESCO) operates 85 substations.

Ongoing and future projects

The minister said that work on 139 new substations is currently progressing rapidly across the country to enhance the capacity of the power distribution system. Significant investments are also being made to improve electricity supply quality in rural areas.

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He added that under BREB, five projects are currently being implemented and three more are awaiting approval. Through the construction of 128 new substations and the upgrading of 76 existing ones, distribution capacity is being increased by 2,543 MVA. Additionally, another 3,712 MVA capacity will be added through the construction of 226 more substations.

Overall, these initiatives are expected to add a total of 6,255 MVA to the national electricity distribution capacity by 2031.

The minister also informed parliament that other distribution agencies are undertaking modernisation efforts. Two new projects have already begun in the Mymensingh and Cumilla zones, while four projects are currently underway in the western region with four more in the planning stage. In the northern region, three projects are ongoing and one new project is being planned.

If the government’s master plan is successfully implemented, the minister expressed hope that power outages will be significantly reduced and a stable electricity supply will be ensured for both industrial and residential consumers across the country.