South Korean, Norwegian, and French companies will build two new solar power plants in Bangladesh from which the government will be able to purchase electricity at a slightly low cost.
The cabinet committee on public purchase recently approved two contracts for producing a total of 120 megawatts (MW) of electricity in Pabna and Mymensingh districts at a cost of Tk 8.12 per unit.
Last week, the government made purchases at rates ranging from Tk 8.16 to Tk 21.25 from a 223.5MW solar-powered power plant.
The meeting was chaired by Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal where a total of seven proposals were approved worth Tk 4,145.70 crore.
South Korean companies Daehan Green Energy and HI Korea Company and Pabna Solar Power will jointly build an 80MW grid-tied solar power plant in Pabna's Ishwardi upazila.
The government will purchase electricity from it for 20 years at Tk 8.12 per unit for a total cost of Tk 1,843.20 crore.
Another venture among French company Total Eren SA, Norwegian Renewables Group AS and Urban Services will build the 50MW grid-tied solar power plant in Muktagachha upazila of Mymensingh.
Each unit will cost Tk 8.12, bringing the total cost to Tk 1,315.20 crore. This is also for the next 20 years.
Meanwhile, the government approved a four-year extension of a contract for a 40MW gas-based rental power plant in Bhola of Bangladesh Power Development Board with sponsor Venture Energy Resources.
The total cost for purchasing electricity is Tk 360.90 crore, with each unit being of Tk 2.7176.
