NATORE. Mar 2: Acute shortage of power is the main obstacle to industrialisation in the country's industrially-backward northern region, reports UNB.

The Power Development Board supplies only less than one third of the 360 MW power required daily during the peak hours in the 16 northern districts.

The prospective entrepreneurs are reportedly not interested to proceed much in their mission after assessing the present power supply situation in the region.

The power requirement will be doubled or tripled with the industrialisation of the region, supply of which will not be possible by the existing power supply network, said a PDB official.

The official on condition of anonjenity said the setback of power department would seriously hinder the overall industrialisation process in the re-

gion.

PDB sources said electricity is now being supplied to the 16 northern districts from the National Grid line through Iswardi Station where a 232-kv power transmission line is connected with the National Grid line.

From here, power reaches 17 grid stations through 132 kv lines under the three circles in the region. Power is supplied from these grid stations to the sub-stations and feeders by using 33-kv transmission lines.

From these sub-stations and feeders, electricity reaches the general consumers and industries through 11 kv supply lines. Most of these transformers go out of order frequently due to deplorable condition and increasing load.

No steps have been taken to replace these faulty transformers, it is reported. Obviously, the existing supply network will not stand to bear any more load when industrialisation

starts in full swing in the region. the officials said.

On the other hand, the present power generation in the region is only 121 MW of which 70 MW at Baghabari. 22 MW at Saidpur. 20 MW at Rangpur, four MW at Thakurgaon and five MW at Bogra are being generated daily. The total generation is being supplied to the National Grid.

But. the National Grid is supplying only 80 to 120 MW of electricity daily during the peak hours against the demand of 360 to 400 MW.

Production in the existing industrial units of the region is being hampered seriously in the recent years disappointing the entrepreneurs.

Experts in the field opined that government should take urgent measures for implementation of 300 MW Baropukuria Steam Turbine Power Plant Project. 600 MW Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant at Iswardi and 100-MW Gas Turbine Power Plant Project at Baghabari.