Bangladesh revives 12 scrapped solar projects after after retendering delivers cheaper power

Advisor Fouzul says the government’s purchase advisory committee has approved the new tariffs

The government has secured the opportunity to buy electricity at lower rates from 12 previously cancelled solar power projects after retendering brought down prices.

On Tuesday, Power Advisor Fouzul Kabir Khan said the government’s purchase advisory committee approved the revised tariffs for these schemes.

Last year, the interim government scrapped 34 solar power projects that had been approved under the Quick Enhancement of Electricity and Energy Supply (Special Provisions) Act, 2010, saying the mechanism had enabled inflated tariffs and awarded undue advantages to businesses through corruption.

According to the advisor, the revived projects will now supply electricity at rates cheaper by two to three cents per unit compared with previous proposals.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, he said: “Today, 12 solar projects have been approved. They will provide 998MW of electricity. Earlier, prices were set under the 2010 Act, but since that law has been repealed, those projects were cancelled.

“We believed the earlier tariffs were too high. In all 12 cases, we have now secured [lower] prices.”