2 lakh new subscribers to get power

Nearly 12 lakh residential buildings and industrial units will get power connections this year, as the government has resumed providing

electricity connections after a pause of more than two years, said BangladeshPower Development Board (BPDB) officials.

The BPDB will provide new electricity connections in phases. About four lakh applicants, who have already subscribed for power

connections, will be brought
under the national electricity network in the first phase. The rest will get the facility gradually, said an official.

The users, however, must get solar energy systems installed to enjoy the
facility.

Residential buildings using up to 2 kilowatt of electricity a day will have to
meet five per cent of their power consumption from renewable energy sources. It
is seven per cent for commercial buildings and factories consuming 50 kilowatt
of electricity and 10 per cent for users of power above 50 kilowatt.

Garment factories must have solar solutions installed to meet five percent of
their power consumption, said the official.

The government stopped giving new connections to households and industries in
January 2009 for nagging power crisis. However, the BPDB and other suppliers
provided a limited number of power connections last year.