THE government is willing to help neighbouring Bangladesh meet its energy needs by exporting hydroelectricity, a senior official from the Ministry of Electric Power (1) said on May 28.

“If Bangladesh agrees to buy electricity, we will build hydropower plants in Rakhine State and export electricity to Bangladesh,” said the official, who declined to be named.

Bangladesh, which has widespread poverty, might not need to fund hydropower plants in order to import electricity from Myanmar, he added, speculating that an Indian energy company may be willing to invest in such a project, which would fit with India’s “Look East” policy.

He did not mention any foreign companies that had expressed willingness to be involved in exporting electricity to Bangladesh. However, he said that if a deal was struck it would likely involve the construction of more than one dam.
There are many rivers in Rakhine State, which borders Bangladesh, that could support hydropower plants, he explained.

“We (the Ministry of Electric Power 1) will survey the Kaladan River, Lemro River, Sai Tin Creek and Dalet Creek (all in Rakhine State) for the possible implementation of hydropower projects.

“Of these rivers and creeks, the ministry has already conducted surveying work at the Sai Thin Creek and estimated its electricity output would be 76 megawatts,” said the official, referring to research done more than 50 years ago shortly after Myanmar gained independence.

A Bangladeshi delegation led by the country’s power secretary is due to arrive in Yangon early this month to hold talks on buying electricity from Myanmar and the implementation of hydropower projects.

An energy advisor to Dhaka, Tapan Chowdhury, said on May 27 that Bangladesh was also exploring the possibility of importing electricity from Nepal and Bhutan. But it appeared Myanmar offered the chance of a quicker deal as both Nepal and Bhutan were already in bilateral talks on power with India, he said.

The speed of sourcing energy from abroad is of key concern to Bangladeshi officials as the country faces a lasting and politically sensitive power crisis.

Tapan was quoted in Bangladeshi media last week as saying Myanmar authorities had already set some conditions for Bangladesh’s proposal to set up a hydropower plant. He did not reveal what these conditions were or where funding for a power project might come from.

“After negotiations, we will be in a position to know whether it will be viable to set up plants there,” Tapan said.

Analysts have estimated Bangladesh needs an additional 2000 megawatts to eliminate electricity shortages to the 30 percent of its population receiving power from the national grid.