They also said a masterplan on the power and energy sector should be prepared on a coordinated basis for the future as the development of the sector always depends on it.
They came up with the suggestions at the webinar titled “EP Talks on Future Challenges and Fuel Mix in Power Generation and Way Forward” on Saturday evening.
The virtual seminar was also addressed by Power Division’s additional secretary Nurul Alam, former chairman of Petrobangla and Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) Muktadir Ali, former chairmen of Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) Syed Abdul Mayeed, Alamgir Kabir and Khaled Mahmud, and expatriate energy expert Firoz Kabir.
Khandaker Abdus Saleq Sufi made a presentation on the topic of the seminar while Energy & Power editor Mollah Amzad Hossain conducted the event.
They said the under-construction Matarbari deep sea port will play a vital role in development of the country’s energy and power sector.
The experts mentioned that the country’s maiden deep sea port will have three separate terminals for handling imported coal, LNG (liquified natural gas) and LPG (liquefied petroleum gas).
“But, unfortunately, there’s a move by the government to implement the LPG terminal without any proper survey and feasibility study,” said Mollah Amzad.
Additional secretary of the Power Division Nurul Alam said any LPG or LNG terminal in Matarbari deep sea port should be implemented on the basis of a proper feasibility study. “Otherwise, the projects may face various troubles in the future.”
M Muktadir Ali said there are discussions that the government would cancel a number of coal-based power plants to implement LNG-based power plants to meet their generation gaps.
“But the decisions should be based on proper studies as the price of coal is more stable in the global market than that of LNG,” he added.
Alamgir Kabir said the power sector has now over 50 percent reserve margins. “But 25 percent reserve margin in power generation is good enough in any country of the world.”
Syed Abdul Mayeed said the government should give greater focus on gas exploration rather than its import.
Also read: Consultant hiring delay pushes back Matarbari land-based LNG terminal project