Electricity transmission from newly built Payra and Rampal plants to Dhaka's Aminbazar has to wait for at least 7-8 months, as construction of a high voltage 400 kV double-circuit power transmission line is yet to be completed.

Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) incurred a huge financial loss owing to the delay, according to sources.

According to official sources, Power Grid Company of Bangladesh (PGCB) had undertaken the 164.6-km-long Aminbazar-Maowa-Mongla transmission line project earlier in 2016, at a cost of Tk 2,505.37 crore.

As per a revised schedule, the project was supposed to be completed by December 2021, but got delayed because of the ongoing Padma Bridge construction.

"Foundation of only two towers out of seven has been completed by Bangladesh Bridge Authority," said Golam Kibria, PGCB managing director.

"We hope to get the rest done by April 2022. PGCB will require another 5-6 months to complete the installation," he added.

A PGCB official said that BPDB has to pay a penalty of Tk 130 crore per month to the Payra power plant for failing to transmit electricity.