The Dhaka Power Distribution Company (DPDC) is about to build the first-ever underground power substation in the country at Dhaka’s Karwanbazar.
Once the project is implemented, the power supply is expected to increase to 360 MVA for 132 KV and 150 MVA for 33 KV power transformers.
As the distribution will move underground, power cuts will no longer be necessary in the face of any crisis or natural disasters.
The estimated cost of the project, to be funded by Japan International Corporation Agency (JICA), is around Tk 9.5 billion.
The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) approved the project in March last year.
“We want to gradually move the entire power supply system underground,” DPDC Executive Director (operation) Harun-ur-Rashid told Bangla Tribune.
“However, we need huge investment for that,” he said and added that the investments must be made gradually.
“We have already placed the cables underground. Now we are thinking of constructing all the substations underground,” Rashid said.
The project director and DPDC Chief Engineer (Planning) Shahidul Islam said, “The design is still underway. A Japanese company has been hired on advisory capacity.”
He added that they have also hired an architectural firm to design a high rise building on top of the substation.
DPDC supplies power to over 1.2 million consumers in central Dhaka. The power company is the biggest among all the other supply companies with nearly Tk 1 million worth of assets.