Power utilities would provide new connections in phases until December to the applicants who pay all the dues by June, a senior power division official said on Sunday.
But he said that those who applied for connections of two kilowatts or more would have to install solar panels.
Officials said that 8,30,000 applicants have been awaiting new connections since November 7, 2010.
They said that the five power utilities gave new connections to 80,000 applications out of 3,94,000 who had made all payments against demand notes issued by the utilities between May 14 to June 20.
Officials said that following a decision taken on Sunday applicants seeking five megawatt or greater capacity power connections would have to obtain permission from the power division of the government.
The power division took the decision at a meeting chaired by state minister Enamul Huq.
Officials said that the country's power generation was expected to rise by 1,000 MW by December, matching increased consumption after new connections are given by then.
Officials at five power utilities, Dhaka Power Distribution Company, Dhaka Electricity Supply Company, Power Development Board and West Zone Power Distribution Company, informed the meeting that they gave 8,844 new power connections until May 14.
Rural Electrification Board told the meeting that it had provided 1,38,792 new connections until May 14.
The officials said that the new connection given by the five utilities, DPDC, DESCO, PDB, WZPDECO and REB, increased an extra demand of 219 MW on the national grid.
They informed the meeting that the new consumers of REB have installed 1,698 solar power panels at home system with the needed backup and the new consumers of DPDC installed 98 solar power units and new DESCO consumers installed 10 solar units.
The state minister asked DPDC and DESCO to monitor the solar systems.
From April to October 2009, the government had suspended giving new power connections across the country due to power shortage.
After keeping it suspended from April to October 2010, the government allowed new power connections to consumers on condition that they would install solar system to supplement the supply they would get from the utilities.
The authorities asked new domestic consumers intending to get power supply from two kilowatt or greater capacity distribution lines to obtain three to five per cent of their electricity requirement from solar panels.
It means an applicant seeking new domestic connection would have to install a 90 watt solar system for getting power from a three kilowatt distribution line of the government's power utility.
The authorities asked commercial and industrial consumers seeking new connection from over 50 kw distribution lines to get from solar panels at least three per cent of their power requirement for using lights and fans.
Source : New Age
