State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid said that the price of electricity will increase by an average of 7 percent from March 1. He said this in an interview on Sunday (February 25). The power division will issue a notification in this regard soon, he said. Nasrul Hamid has termed this year's power price hike as an adjustment with the value of the dollar, not a price hike. "Electricity prices are not being increased, they are being adjusted," he said. Nasrul Hamid said the price of electricity will also be adjusted at the wholesale level. However, the price will not impact too much on consumers.

Amid the ongoing protest sit-ins, the civil society activists in Muzaffarabad city in Pakistani-occupied Kashmir (PoK) threw electricity bills into the river and appealed to the people that they should not pay their electricity bills, Dawn reported. Tens of hundreds of electricity bills were thrown into the water and an equal number of them were torched in Rawalakot on Thursday.Since September 20, the People Action Committee in Muzaffarabad has set up a sit-in camp with an appeal to the populace to stop paying their electricity bills, first at a roundabout in front of the Press Club and later on the club grounds facing the main road. From 9 am to 4 pm every day, participants in the sit-in, which also included traders, solicitors, students and vendors, would gather electricity bills from customers coming from various city neighbourhoods., according to Dawn. Moreover, the local police also arrested a member of civil society on Monday for violating the National Action Programme against terrorism, as some of the people used mosque loudspeakers to convince people not to pay their electricity bills. Participants in the sit-in have been seen building boats and aeroplanes out of power bills recently, which they plan to toss into the Neelum River on September 28.The administration attempted to intimidate the protesters and prevent them from tossing electrical bills into the river on Thursday by stationing multiple riot police units near the sit-in camp, Dawn reported. The Civil society activists conducted a “boycott bills” demonstration on Thursday in Rawalakot, where a sit-in is being held over the problem of the non-availability of subsidised wheat flour and excessive electricity bills for the past 143 days. At the rally’s end, hundreds of electricity bills were set on fire as it had marched through several streets to the beat of drums.A group of individuals led by attorney Saad Ansari destroyed power bills in front of the office of the energy department in the city of Mirpur.

Amid the ongoing protest sit-ins, the civil society activists in Muzaffarabad city in Pakistani-occupied Kashmir (PoK) threw electricity bills into the river and appealed to the people that they should not pay their electricity bills, Dawn reported. Tens of hundreds of electricity bills were thrown into the water and an equal number of them were torched in Rawalakot on Thursday.Since September 20, the People Action Committee in Muzaffarabad has set up a sit-in camp with an appeal to the populace to stop paying their electricity bills, first at a roundabout in front of the Press Club and later on the club grounds facing the main road. From 9 am to 4 pm every day, participants in the sit-in, which also included traders, solicitors, students and vendors, would gather electricity bills from customers coming from various city neighbourhoods., according to Dawn. Moreover, the local police also arrested a member of civil society on Monday for violating the National Action Programme against terrorism, as some of the people used mosque loudspeakers to convince people not to pay their electricity bills. Participants in the sit-in have been seen building boats and aeroplanes out of power bills recently, which they plan to toss into the Neelum River on September 28.The administration attempted to intimidate the protesters and prevent them from tossing electrical bills into the river on Thursday by stationing multiple riot police units near the sit-in camp, Dawn reported. The Civil society activists conducted a “boycott bills” demonstration on Thursday in Rawalakot, where a sit-in is being held over the problem of the non-availability of subsidised wheat flour and excessive electricity bills for the past 143 days. At the rally’s end, hundreds of electricity bills were set on fire as it had marched through several streets to the beat of drums.A group of individuals led by attorney Saad Ansari destroyed power bills in front of the office of the energy department in the city of Mirpur.

A ground-breaking energy collaboration is poised to reshape the power dynamics of South Asia. Nepal, Bangladesh, and India have inked a historic tripartite agreement which was fortified during Nepalese Prime Minister Puspa Kamal Dahal's recent visit to India in June 2023. This pact unlocks the potential for hydroelectricity from Nepal to flow to Bangladesh via India's robust transmission infrastructure. Amidst Bangladesh's recurring blackouts due to currency limitations impeding fuel imports, this alliance provides a lifeline. In tandem, Nepal's surplus hydroelectricity harnesses at 97% capacity will find a much-needed outlet. India is an instrumental collaborator in this transformative journey with its ambition to achieve 500 GW of non-fossil energy by 2030. The high-voltage transmission line, sponsored by the Asian Development Bank, links Bheramara in Bangladesh with Baharampur in India, marking a pivotal stride towards cross-border electricity exchange. Its establishment augments regional energy security, especially relevant in today's energy-insecure world. This joint initiative symbolises mutual understanding and neighbourly collaboration. It beckons an era of seamless cross-border energy transmission underscores the paramount importance of united efforts in enhancing regional stability and shared prosperity.  The power-sharing agreement between India, Bangladesh, and Nepal is set to transform the energy scenario of the South Asian region. The three countries recently concluded a tripartite agreement that will enable the transfer of hydroelectricity from Nepal to Bangladesh using the Indian grid and transmission lines. The deal came to fruition when the Nepalese Prime Minister Puspa Kamal Dahal last visited India in June 2023. After the meeting with his Indian counterpart, Indian PM Narendra Modi allowed the use of the Indian transmission line to boost energy connectivity within the South Asian region.  Bangladesh is facing frequent blackouts as it is faced with the problem of depleting foreign exchange reserves which is making the import of fuels difficult for the country. On the other hand, Nepal is blessed with surplus hydroelectricity, nearly 30 per cent more than its domestic requirement, during the wet season and is therefore seeking to sell the excess power to Bangladesh. Since there is an absence of any grid connectivity between    the two countries, both countries sought India’s help, which India as a good friend and neighbour to both the countries, readily agreed to.  The power companies from the three countries – Bangladesh, Nepal, and India –  Bangladesh Power Development Board, Nepal Electricity Authority, and NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam (NVVN), respectively, have entered into a collaboration for cross-border power trading using the Bahrampur-Bheramara high voltage line.  This high voltage transmission line, connecting Bangladesh’s western electrical grid at Bheramara with India’s eastern grid at Bahrampur. After the conclusion of this tripartite agreement, this Asian Development Bank-funded USD 193 million high voltage line will pave the way for cross-border electricity trade. Notwithstanding this line, Bangladesh and Nepal are already considering a transmission line through India that will solely be dedicated for the bilateral electricity trade between Nepal and Bangladesh.  It is important for Nepal to be able to transfer its surplus electricity to prevent, or at least reduce, the wastage. With a total installed capacity of 2,600 MW, Nepal produces over 97 per cent of its electricity through hydropower. At present, Nepal is exporting around 450 MW of its electricity to India. But Nepal has been increasing its hydropower output to meet the electricity demand for dry season. This increased output turns into surplus power during the wet season which Nepal needs to export, and thus in search of a market. With a power-sharing agreement with India already in place, Nepal sought to export some of the excess power to Bangladesh.   Bangladesh, on the other hand, is seeking electricity to meet the shortfall in its own power generation and fulfil the power demand of the country. However, in the near future Bangladesh needs to make a seamless transition from conventional sources of energy to    renewable energy source. This is necessary to ensure not only its energy security but also for long-term sustainability. In the aftermath of the breaking out of Russia-Ukraine crisis, developing and least-developed countries have been facing a looming threat of energy insecurity. Given the context of this war, cross-border energy cooperation and rejuvenating the idea of a power corridor is necessary for Bangladesh to mitigate its power crisis.  Since Nepal is a land-locked country, Nepal’s plan to export its surplus power to Bangladesh would require India’s assistance and support. In the initial phase, Bangladesh and Nepal have decided to trade about 40 to 50 MW of electricity using cross-border power transmission link facilitated by India. As per the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) of India, it is allowed to do cross-border trade where India’s involvement is present. A specific provision of the tripartite agreement allows the Indian authority to become a party to the bilateral framework through signing of an agreement between the Government of India and the governments of the respective countries.  Since India itself is looking to transition to a Green India through a focus on renewable energy production with a goal of generating 500 GW from non-fossil sources and use 50 per cent renewable energy by 2030, India can use the power corridor of Bangladesh to reduce the cost of power generation. Bangladesh itself is looking to get a power mix of 40 per cent from renewable sources by 2050 from the present 3 per cent mix.  This tripartite agreement is therefore going to usher in an era of cross-border power transmission in a seamless manner that will boost energy security in the South Asian region. This cooperation augurs well for the entire region as evidence of collaboration among neighbours for the mutual benefit of all.   In conclusion, the tripartite power-sharing agreement among India, Bangladesh, and Nepal stands as a transformative milestone in reshaping the energy scenario of South Asia. This collaborative effort addresses critical energy challenges faced by Bangladesh while providing Nepal with a valuable outlet for its surplus hydroelectricity. India's role as a facilitator and collaborator in this venture through its formidable transmission network underlines its commitment to renewable energy goals. The establishment of the Asian Development Bank-funded high-voltage transmission line between Bheramara and Baharampur further strengthens the regional energy infrastructure, enhancing energy security in a volatile global energy context. This initiative embodies the spirit of cooperation among neighbouring nations, setting a precedent for mutual prosperity and sustainability. As the world grapples with energy insecurity, this partnership signifies a beacon of hope and regional stability. It underscores the necessity of cross-border energy cooperation and the potential for collaborative endeavours to address energy crises. Ultimately, it exemplifies the power of unity in advancing shared goals and securing the energy future of South Asia. Dr Maheep is a leading analyst of India’s Foreign Policy. He is the Principal investigator of a National Project on India’s Soft Power Diplomacy

Imagine a scene, where a set of solar-powered batteries automatically takes over when the electricity supply from the public grid stops. Sounds fanciful, especially in a place like Nagaland, but it is possible and more importantly, it works.  A home is quite literally basking in the free energy of the sun, successfully demonstrating a low carbon, in this case, a solar solution to the perpetual ‘load-shedding’ crisis in Nagaland.   The house, located in Mokokchung, is distinguished by a rooftop solar plant with a capacity for generating 3 kW (3000 watts) of electricity, enough to power a standard “Domestic category” household with water pump, fans, fridge, TV, computer, lighting and other appliances.    The person behind this low carbon initiative wished not be named but agreed to share with The Morung Express his triumphant tryst with solar energy. A retired science educator living in Mokokchung with his family, he wished to be known only as AB, the initials of his name.   He said that he was captivated by the idea of solar energy, from an early age, closely following the developments in photovoltaic cells. As an electronics hobbyist, “I thought it will be smart to use solar energy. As my career progressed, I was able to save some money to install one,” AB said, who also owns an EV or electric car. The installation was phased, gradually upgrading to a system that now has 3 kW solar panels and 6 kW inverter and battery backup. A higher backup rating implies the capacity of the solar panels can be augmented without having to upgrade the inverter. The cost factor, however, remains a major barrier to mass transition to renewable solar energy.  Having invested around Rs 4.5 lakh for the existing rooftop system, which was upgraded in 2019, he said that the long-term advantages outweigh the installation costs.    He asserted, “I can say that I am not wasting the solar energy that my roof gets. Moreover, my bills become less.”  Cost-benefit According to AB, the most visible benefit has been independence from “the horrendous power cuts” that Nagaland has come accustomed to. But a more important aspect has been a sense of psychological contentment. “Solar energy has a comparatively low carbon footprint and so there is a feel good factor to it,” he said, not forgetting reduced energy bills.  The initial investment would be hard on the pocket but he maintained that it would eventually break-even. He tipped the break-even point at around 6 years, narrowing further if one opts for a grid-connected system.  “If you go for a grid-tied rooftop solar system of about 10 kW, the investment may be recovered within 2-3 years,” he said. As the name would suggest, a grid-tied or grid-connected solar plant enables two-way energy flow enabling exporting of energy generated by the plant to the local grid; vice versa on cloudy days or night time. Such a bidirectional system also allows for exporting excess energy, generated by the rooftop plant, to the grid offsetting drawal costs. In such a system, a home-owner need not invest in backup battery, which generally accounts for half of the total costs for a rooftop solar plant.  While stating that his rooftop system has also switched to a grid-tied system, he said, “It brings down the cost (electricity bill) a lot.” He approximated his normal electricity consumption to be equivalent to around Rs 3000 a month, as per the Department of Power Nagaland (DoPN) tariff. “But since it is now a grid-tied system, I may reduce my bills to around Rs 700-800,” he added.  He made the proposal for the switchover in the month of May, this year. According to him, the Department was happy to let him know that there already was a government scheme for incentivizing domestic solar plants.  Solar subsidy A scheme, known as “Phase-II of Grid Connected Rooftop Solar Programme,” was sanctioned in 2019 by the Union Government. At the time, the target was to achieve “cumulative capacity of 40,000 MW from Rooftop Solar (RTS) Projects by the year 2022” through Central Financial Assistance (CFA) for the residential sector. It outlined a subsidy of 40 percent for RTS systems up to 3 kW capacity and 20 percent for systems beyond 3 kW and up to 10 kW.  It envisaged implementation of the RTS projects through increased involvement of DISCOMs (power distribution companies) and in Nagaland’s case, through the DoPN.  As disclosed by DoPN officials, the scheme became operational in the state sometime in April-May 2022. Deficient, rather non-existent, promotional effort has reportedly had potential clients unaware of the scheme.  A 1 kW rooftop system is said to cost approximately Rs 52,000. Under the scheme’s 40 percent subsidy, the cost cuts down to around Rs 31200 alongwith 5 years free maintenance and net metering. A 3 kW system can be installed at less than a lakh, one of the DoPN officials said. The solar panels provided via the scheme are said to be sensitive enough to work even under cloudy skies, though not on full capacity.  Air pollution also impacts the output of solar plants but according to AB, air pollution level is relatively low in Nagaland making it ideal for photovoltaic panels. “In fact, people can embark on setting up solar energy farms and have, more or less, a passive income source. This will also help in solving the energy crisis of the state to a significant level,” he said.  Source: www.morungexpress.com

The government has decided to increase the electricity price at the consumer level.  In this regard, notification will be issued soon. The matter was confirmed by the Electricity Department Deputy Chief Information Officer Mir Md. Aslam Uddin.  Earlier, on January 8, in BERC's public hearing the Commission's Technical Appraisal Committee recommended a 15 percent increase in retail electricity prices at the consumer level.  The recommendation proposes to increase the average price of various power companies from 7.13 paise per kilowatt hour to 8.23 paise per kilowatt hour.

The government has decided to reduce electricity consumption by 25 percent in all government offices of the country as austerity measures to cope up with the economic shock and crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war.   The private organizations have also been urged to comply with the government's policy as a part of this austerity measures. The decision was taken at a meeting with the senior secretaries and secretaries of all the ministries and divisions at Prime Minister's Office (PMO) this afternoon organised to find out an effective course of action to reduce the expenditure of government. Prime Minister's Principal Secretary Dr. Ahmad Kaikaus chaired the meeting. PMO Senior Secretary Md. Tofazzel Hossain Miah was also present. While briefing the reporters, the Principal Secretary said the ministries and divisions would take the initiatives to formulate their own policies to reduce the consumption of electricity and water as "the consumption of electricity in all government offices has to cut down by 25 percent." He said that the finance division will also issue necessary gazette notification aiming to cut down the use of budgetary allocation of energy sector by 20 percent. Dr. Ahmad Kaikaus  said "There is no reason to be panicked. This is precautionary measure so that we don't have to face any kind of crisis in the future."   Mentioning that this measure is not only for the capital city, he said that all the ministries and divisions will take the measures to follow it at their district and upazila level offices.    Reminding all about to the Prime Minister's call to increase production and be thrifty, the Principal Secretary called upon the ministries and divisions to save electricity and fuel by avoiding unnecessary expenses. He also urged the non-government organizations to come forward following the government's policy. In the meeting, the secretaries discussed about the ways of implementing the cost-saving policy of the government in the wake of continuous price hike of daily commodities, including fuel due to the post-Covid economic crisis and the Russia-Ukraine war. National Board of Revenue (NBR) Chairman Abu Hena Md Rahmatul Muneem, Senior Secretary of Water Resources Ministry Kabir Bin Anwar, Senior Secretary of Public Administration Ministry KM Ali Azam and Finance Division Senior Secretary Fatima Yasmin, among others, took part in the discussion. Other decisions taken at the meeting are – avoidance of physical meeting unless unavoidable of presence and holding most of the meetings virtually, avoidance of foreign travel as much as possible unless it is essential, market monitoring to keep the prices of daily commodities, including foodstuffs, at tolerable level and strengthening other measures including taking action against hoarding through mobile courts. The ministry of education and the ministry of primary and mass education have taken necessary initiatives to rationalize the use of private vehicles in the transportation of students in educational institutions. Taking necessary steps from the beginning of the financial year to increase internal resource mobilization has been stressed as  NBR should take effective measures to achieve the target. At the same time, it was mentioned at the meeting that every ministry will review its own procurement plan and take initiatives to reduce revenue expenditure. Source: BSS AH

While the scorching heat of the Bengali month of Kartik caused unbearable suffering for people during the holy month of Ramadan in 2005, incessant power outages worsened due to the corruption of BNP leader Tarique Rahman in the power sector putting people to their breaking point, said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's ICT Advisor Sajeeb Wazed Joy.   Referring to the 2005-Ramadan period, he wrote in a Facebook post on Sunday, "Dhaka city was badly suffering from load-shedding, let alone the other parts  of the country."    "People, finally, got agitated amid acute power crisis even during Iftar, Tarabi and Sehri. But at that time, Tarique Rahman, son of then Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, embezzled thousands of crores of money in the name of erecting electric poles - plunging the country into the darkness and gas crisis during the BNP rule," he said.   The Awami League government increased the power generation capacity to 4,300 MW after assuming power in 1996, he said, adding but rampant corruption of  Tarique Rahman during BNP rule brought the capacity down to only 3,200 MW - half of which was supplied to some elite areas of Dhaka, and the other half  was allocated for the whole country.   "As a result, the country witnessed unprecedented power shortages even in winter from 2001 to 2006, affecting the agricultural and industrial sectors  of the country," he said.   During the BNP-Jamaat misrule, teachers in Dhaka had to take school classes by lighting candles during the day regularly, he said adding that the lack of electricity also disrupted water extraction in the city, causing unbearable public suffering that led to protests in the capital. "Twenty villagers were shot dead all because of protesting in demand of electricity in Kansat of Chapainawabganj in January 2006," he further said.   "Farmers became dependent on diesel-powered irrigation pumps for cultivation due to the lack of electricity in the rural areas then. Taking the chance,  the 'Hawa Bhavan' syndicate also hiked the price of diesel and fertilizer.  However, people started waging protests in different parts of the country against the corruption and anomalies of the Tarique-Mamun gang," he said. Source: BSS AH

Pakistan Opposition parties reject Fuel Price Adjustment (FPA) in electricity bills under the Imran Khan government and demand for a refund of the amount. Pakistan Opposition parties urge the imposition of exorbitant fuel price adjustment (FPA) in electricity bills and urged the federal government to refund the additional amount charged under this head to consumers in the next month's bill, according to the Dawn. Meanwhile, Awami National Party (ANP) provincial president Aimal Wali Khan said in a statement on Thursday that a court had already declared the excessive FPA as illegal, adding that extorting billions of rupees from the poor people under this head was intolerable. Aimal Wali said that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government was unable to raise its voice for provincial share in the national resources, particularly for the pending Rs 650 billion net hydel profit (NHP), to initiate some development schemes in the province."It was duty of the federal ministers and other lawmakers from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to play their role for release of the pending NHP without any delay," he said. The ANP provincial chief said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was producing hydel power at the minimum price of Rs1.50 per unit, but the people had to purchase it at Rs18-20 per unit, which was a sheer injustice, according to the Dawn. Earlier, In Swabi, two separate protest demonstrations were held on Thursday against fuel price adjustment in the electricity bills while terming it a great injustice with the people. The Da Haq Awaz, Swabi, organised a protest march which was participated by local leaders and workers of various political parties in Peshawar. Protesters chanted slogans against the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf government for charging a big amount of money under the FPA from the power consumers, according to the Dawn. They claimed that the FPA issue could not be resolved by the government as the expenditures of luxurious lifestyle of the rulers were being transferred to consumers this way.Addressing the protesters, Ihsanul Haq, head of the Da Haq Awaz, said that their struggle would continue till the removal of FPA from the power bills. Further, another opposition party Jamaat-i-Islami held a protest in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Topi tehsil and its leaders and workers marched through the main bazaar while chanting slogans against the ruling party, according to the Dawn. The protesters waving the electricity bills said they were not in a position to pay the heavy inflated bills. Source: ANI

After 22 months efforts at last electricity reached in the tiny island Sandwip through bottom of the sea. On Thursday this island upazila on the Bay of Bengal was connected to the national power grid through submarine cable. There are nearly 4 lakh inhabitants in Sandwip. So far the island was one type of out of electricity supply facility. At local level 400 subscribers were being given fuel based electricity through generators in the upazial sadar. The island which has turned smaller hit by repeated erosion now can see the light of hope as it is connected with the national power grid. According to PDB information, submarine cable is set up in 15 kilometers distance through bottom of the sea from Sitakunda to Sandwip as part of electricity distribution system development work of Chattogram.  Around 145 crore taka was spent in this project. This submarine cable’s performance capacity is 50 mega watts. After connecting to the national grid, now hundred percent people of Sandwip will be brought under coverage of electricity in several stages. People of Sandwip hope that huge development will take place there, including setting up of mill-factories after getting the power from national grid. Sandwip municipality mayor Jafar Ullah Titu said, it is the reflection Prime Minister’s promise of providing hundred percent electricity for Sandwip that she gave in 2012. Chinese contractor firm ZTT is implementing the project. According to Power Development Board source, two high power capacity cable networks were connected from Sitakunda part to Sandwip channel through 10 to 20 feet depth beneath the Bay of Bengal. This connection is being given with help of setting up two cables with length of 16 kilometers from the coast. It is hoped that as the area is covered by electricity then internet service with broadband internet connection will be expanded. AH