The government has approved revised tariffs for electricity purchases from two state-owned power plants, a move expected to save around Tk 201 crore annually for the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB).
The decision came at a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase held at the Secretariat on Thursday, chaired by Finance Minister Aamir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury.
Officials said the revised levelised tariffs apply to two plants operated by North-West Power Generation Company Limited (NWPGCL), allowing BPDB to procure electricity at lower rates.
Under one proposal, the tariff for the 225MW Sirajganj Combined Cycle Power Plant (Unit-2) has been reduced. The gas-based tariff has been lowered from Tk 5.604 to Tk 5.541 per kilowatt-hour, while the HSD-based tariff has been cut from Tk 23.761 to Tk 23.698.
The plant, set up with financing from the International Development Association, began operations in 2018 and sells electricity to BPDB under a 22-year power purchase agreement. The revision is expected to save about Tk 31.66 crore annually.
Over the remaining period of around 14 years and six months, BPDB is projected to pay approximately Tk 13,108.49 crore for gas-based generation and Tk 56,062.99 crore for HSD-based supply from the plant.
In a separate decision, the committee approved revised tariffs for the 410MW Bheramara Combined Cycle Power Plant, also operated by NWPGCL.
For this plant, the gas-based tariff has been reduced from Tk 4.7232 to Tk 4.6503 per kilowatt-hour, while the HSD-based tariff has been cut from Tk 20.8159 to Tk 20.6967.
The revision is expected to save around Tk 72.13 crore annually from gas-based operations and Tk 97.38 crore from HSD-based generation.
Built with financing support from the government of Japan, the Bheramara plant began operations in 2017 and also operates under a 22-year contract with BPDB.
For the remaining period of about 14 years and four months, BPDB is expected to pay nearly Tk 20,253.95 crore for gas-based electricity and Tk 73,213.34 crore for HSD-based supply from the plant.
Officials said the tariff rationalisation reflects efforts to reduce generation costs and ease pressure on the country’s power sector amid ongoing financial constraints.