DHAKA
Resources

PGCB ADB Annual Session: Bangladesh Transmission Expansion Plan

PGCB ADB Annual Session Presentation Overview

This is an analysis of the Bangladesh Power Grid Company (PGCB) presentation delivered at the Asian Development Bank (ADB) annual session. PGCB, the sole transmission system operator in Bangladesh, operates roughly 12,000 km of transmission lines and 170 substations. It announced a master plan to raise national transmission capacity from 16,000 MW to 30,000 MW by 2030. The total program size is estimated at USD 8.5B, with ADB lending USD 2.5B.

16,000 MW
Current Capacity
12,000 km of lines
30,000 MW
2030 Target
Expansion to 24,000 km
USD 8.5B
Total Program
FY2024-2030
USD 2.5B
ADB Financing
7 projects

Seven-Project Grid Expansion Program

The master plan is organized into seven core projects: 400 kV backbone reinforcement, a new Eastern Power Corridor, a Southern Coastal Link, an HVDC submarine cable, digital substations, SCADA modernization, and system power quality improvement. Five of these projects are to be financed through ADB loans.

PGCB Seven Transmission Projects
ProjectRoute / ScopeScaleFundingSchedule
400 kV Backbone ReinforcementDhaka-Chittagong-SylhetUSD 2.0BADB USD 800M2024-2028
Eastern CorridorComilla-Sylhet 230kVUSD 1.2BADB USD 500M2025-2029
Southern Coastal LinkKhulna-PatuakhaliUSD 1.0BADB USD 400M2025-2030
HVDC SubseaBarisal-Chittagong subseaUSD 1.5BADB USD 600M2026-2030
Digital Substations20 GIS substation sitesUSD 1.0BADB USD 200M2024-2027
SCADA UpgradeNationwide control integrationUSD 0.5BOwn funds + JICA2024-2026
Power QualityReactive power and power factorUSD 0.3BOwn funds2024-2026

Korean Participation and Market Opportunities

Korean firms have already secured over USD 150M in PGCB-related awards. Korea Cable, Korea Electric Co, and Korea Hyosung have participated to date, and expected Korean participation across the seven projects is above USD 1.5B.

Current Won Contracts
Korea CableUSD 45M (Transmission cables)
Korea Electric CoUSD 38M (Transformers)
Korea HyosungUSD 32M (Circuit breakers)
KEPCO KDNUSD 18M (SCADA)
Near-Term Opportunity Size
Cable and LinesUSD 500M+
Transformers and GISUSD 400M+
SCADA and ProtectionUSD 300M+
EPC and SupervisionUSD 300M+

ADB Procurement Guide

Procurement for ADB loan projects follows the ADB Procurement Framework (2017), with international competitive bidding (ICB) as the default. This section summarizes the essential entry steps for Korean suppliers.

01
Pre-registration
Register in the ADB Consultant Management System (CMS): both consulting firms and individual consultants can apply.
02
Prequalification
Pass the prequalification review by demonstrating relevant track record, financial capacity, and technical competence. The last five years of references are typically required.
03
Bidding Entry
Submit bids for package-level notices in the Procurement Plan. Evaluations are usually based on combined technical and commercial scoring.
04
JV and consortium strategy
Large packages often require JV structures. Korean firms typically benefit from partnering with Bangladeshi firms with local execution capacity.
ADB Approval
Signing of credit agreement
↓
PQ and bidding
ICB international competitive process
↓
Construction and supply
2-4 year execution window
↓
Operation and maintenance
Long-term O&M contracts
KSP RPCL Power AdvisoryA policy advisory case on Bangladesh power-sector project execution
2023 GPP Procurement InvitationsDetailed profiles of PGCB and BPDB procurement invitations
PGCBADBPower TransmissionGrid InfrastructureUltra-High Voltage
PGCB ADB Annual Session: Bangladesh Transmission Expansion Plan | Dhaka Trade Portal