DCCI and TÜV SÜD's 'Safe Future Now' 2015 summit focused on enhancing efficiency, reliability and performance of power plants and increased availability of power in Bangladesh

Industry leaders outline roadmap to improve performance of power plants and increase availability of power

TÜV SÜD, the German testing, inspection, certification and consulting company and Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) jointly hosted the Bangladesh edition for this year’s ‘Safe Future Now’ series of global summits in Dhaka today. The summit focused on the approach towards enhancing efficiency, reliability and performance of power plants and increased availability of power.

The inaugural function witnessed the presence of Dr. Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury BB, PhD, Adviser (Minister) to the Prime Minister, Power, Energy & Mineral Resources Affairs, Mr. A R Khan Chairman, Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC), His Highness Dr. Thomas Prinz, Ambassador to Bangladesh, German Embassy, Dhaka, Mr. Karsten Xander, Member of the Board of Management, TÜV SÜD AG, Mr. Niranjan Nadkarni CEO, TÜV SÜD South Asia and Mr. Md. Shoaib Choudhury, Vice President, Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI)

Mr. Niranjan Nadkarni CEO, TÜV SÜD South Asia said. “World Bank figures peg electricity penetration at 60% in Bangladesh. There is immense opportunity in the country to hike this penetration. Factors such as systemic efficiency, capacity utilization and adequate financing can go a long way in further growing electricity penetration. At TÜV SÜD, we believe that efficiency is the key to solving power related issues. With over 149 years of expertise in rendering best in class consultancy across the global power sector, we believe that the power sector in Bangladesh is promising. The discussions today are testimony of the fact that this is the most exciting time to be a key player in the power sector here.”

Speaking at the event, Mr. Ezhilan Neelan, Country Director, TÜV SÜD Bangladesh said “Setting up of a power plant has some key challenges which need to be addressed at the grassroots level. Challenges can be reviewed from two perspectives — investor and project developer or owner. Through highly engaging conversations today, we have been able to identify the key parameters that can help improve the state of the power sector in Bangladesh, which presents immense opportunities to all stakeholders alike. We thank DCCI for partnering with us to make this event possible.”

Mr. Md. Shoaib Choudhury, Vice President, Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) said, According to the PwC ‘World 2050’ report, Bangladesh will be among the 32 countries that would constitute 84% of global GDP by 2050. The government has invested 5 billion USD in the power sector over the last six years and is looking to expand the power generation infrastructure. Through our strategic discussions with the conventional as well as renewable energy sector experts at the summit, we aim to create more opportunities in this space that has already embarked on a growth path.”

The day-long summit witnessed deliberations on the various ways to cost effectively improve the nation’s power generation capacity. Experts were of the opinion that though setting up new power plant is critical requirement, in view of high investment and gestation period required for green field power stations, resource constraints and environmental concerns, there is an immediate need for optimum utilization of existing generating capacity. In this context, rehabilitation of existing old power plants can be considered as the most feasible option. The main objective of this activity is to augment operating units with the latest technology equipment and systems, in order to enhance their efficiency and productivity.

The opening panel was followed by presentations from Dr. Boris Gehring, Global Head of Power and Systems, TÜV SÜD AG on global energy landscape and its impact on Bangladesh. Presentations on conventional power plants and integrated solutions to optimise plant efficiency were made by Mr. Santi Ram Roy, Executive Director (Engineering), Electricity Generation Company of Bangladesh Ltd and Mr. Bratin Roy, Vice President, Industry Services, TÜV SÜD South Asia respectively. Mr. Siddique Zobair, Member (Energy Efficiency and Preservation), Sustainable & Renewable Energy Development Authority (SREDA), Govt. of People’s Republic of Bangladesh also presented on the renewable sector.

The second panel discussion on ‘securing energy availability through effective financial model’ stimulated a dialogue on factors that investors should be mindful of while investing in power plants. The feasibility of investments in the renewable sector or international funding agencies was also discussed in detail. The panel concluded with experts emphasizing the need for a more conducive regulatory framework for the sector to attract large scale investments in the sector.

The key panelists at the summit included Dr. Salim Mahmud, Member, Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission, Brig. Gen. (Retd.) Md. Nazrul Hasan, Managing Director, Dhaka Power Distribution Company Limited (DPDC), Mr. Md.Mizanur Rahman, Chief Engineer(P&D), Bangladesh Power Development Board

Mr. Md. Quamruzzaman, Director (PSC), Petrobangla, Mr. Md. Mohammad Hossain, Director General, Power Cell, Power Division, Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral, Mr. Arif Iqbal Khan, Senior Investment Manager, KFW- DEG, Mr. Formanul Islam, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer, Bangladesh Infrastructure Finance Fund Limited (BIFFL),Mr. Humayun Rashid, Managing Director, Energypac Power Generation Limited, Sr. Vice President, Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI), Mr. Mohammad Mamdudur Rashid, Deputy Managing Director, BRAC Bank Limited, Mr. Faruq M. Ahmed, Additional Managing Director, Chief Risk Officer & Chief Anti Money Laundering Compliance Officer, City Bank