IEE Power Division: Chairman´s address. The role of the consultant in developing countries

Since the turn of the century British consultants have been operating overseas. Their knowledge and experience have been used to assist developing countries, and a typical role is illustrated by the `case history¿¿ of a transmission and distribution project in Dacca, Bangladesh, financed by the Overseas Development Administration. The location of Dacca, in a massive delta, created special problems for the power engineer, and the 1971 war in Bangladesh meant that records were virtually nonexistent and the capital´s transmission and distribution system had fallen into a perilous state. By 1973, when the consultant was engaged, the interruption of supplies to consumers was common and voltage regulation was very poor. His first tasks, in conjunction with the Bangladesh Power Development Board engineers, were to compile records of the existing network and then to plan its rehabilitation and extension. The problems met in managing this project and the way in which they were overcome lead to the conclusion that with ever-changing technology there is a continuing and worthwhile role for the UK consultant to play in developing countries.