Dhaka: Electricity imported from India’s Adani Power remained the most expensive among Bangladesh’s cross-border power suppliers during the 2024-25 fiscal year, according to official government data.

An analysis of the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) annual report and the Power Division’s financial statements shows that Bangladesh paid an average of Tk14.86 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) for electricity imported from Adani’s Jharkhand power plant.

By comparison, the weighted average tariff for electricity imported from three other Indian suppliers—NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam Limited (NVVN), Power Trading Corporation of India (PTC India), and Sembcorp Energy India—stood at Tk9.33 per unit.

The figures indicate that electricity supplied by Adani cost Bangladesh approximately 59% more than the combined average tariff of the other Indian suppliers.

Higher Than Every Other Supplier

The cost difference becomes even more significant when compared individually.

Bangladesh paid Tk7.58 per unit for electricity imported through NVVN, including transmission charges, making Adani’s tariff nearly 96% higher.

Electricity imported from PTC India averaged Tk10.20 per unit, while Sembcorp Energy India supplied power at Tk10.22 per unit—both around 45-46% cheaper than Adani’s electricity.

Even electricity imported from Nepal under Bangladesh’s first hydropower agreement cost Tk8.35 per unit, substantially below Adani’s tariff.

Transmission Costs Not the Main Factor

According to the report, the price gap cannot be attributed to transmission costs.

Unlike the agreements with NVVN, where Bangladesh separately pays wheeling charges to India’s grid operator, Adani’s contract price already includes the agreed tariff structure.

In fact, Bangladesh’s average transmission cost for electricity imported through NVVN corridors declined during FY2024-25 to Tk0.437 per kWh, down from Tk0.527 per kWh in the previous fiscal year.

Despite the lower transmission charges, Adani remained the country’s most expensive foreign electricity supplier.

Import Volume Remained Unchanged

Bangladesh imported approximately 8,030 million kWh of electricity from Adani during FY2024-25 at a total cost of Tk11,933.44 crore. The average tariff remained almost unchanged from the previous fiscal year, when it stood at Tk14.87 per unit.

During the same period, Bangladesh imported:

• 4,840 million kWh from NVVN at Tk7.58 per unit (including wheeling charges);
• 1,620 million kWh from PTC India at Tk10.20 per unit; and
• 1,920 million kWh from Sembcorp Energy India at Tk10.22 per unit.

Overall Power Purchase Cost Increased

According to BPDB, Bangladesh purchased 101,187.17 million kWh of electricity from domestic and international sources during FY2024-25 at a total cost of Tk121,420.16 crore.

As a result, the country’s average electricity procurement cost increased to Tk12.10 per unit, compared with Tk11.35 per unit in FY2023-24.

Bangladesh currently has agreements to import 2,656 megawatts (MW) of electricity from India and 40MW from Nepal.

While cross-border electricity continues to play a significant role in Bangladesh’s energy supply, official data show that electricity imported from Adani Power remained the highest-priced among all foreign suppliers during the fiscal year.