Shortfalls in the supply of gas have caused severe load shedding across the country, the head of the main state-run electricity generation and supply body said.
Power failures strike four or five times a day for up to two hours each time, disrupting manufacturing and educational institutions, and inconveniencing just about everybody.
An official of the Power Development Board (PDB) said load shedding yesterday was 500MW. Due to a gas supply shortfall, power plants under the PDB could not generate 1500 MW electricity.
“This situation could have been better if only we could ensure adequate gas supplies to the power plants,” PDB Chairman Abduhu Ruhullah told the Dhaka Tribune.
The PDB fears that load shedding levels will continue to worsen due to continued gas supply shortages this year.
The country is likely to experience around 700 to 900MW of load shedding, with power demand reaching 7,000MW. Currently, the production of 1,900MW of power is reportedly suspended because of mechanical problems, along with a further suspension of around 1500MW of power production because of gas shortages.
Load shedding is a more serious problem in the towns and villages than in the cities. It has affected production at mills and factories and caused disruptions at schools in the countryside.
At a recent meeting, Petrobangla, the state-owned oil, gas and mineral corporation, suggested to PDB that it reduce its gas consumption to generate electricity because of gas shortages.
Yet Petrobangla increased gas supplies to fertiliser factories and garment industries by around 200 mmcfd.
On the other hand, Petrobangla reduced the gas supply for power generation to 800mmcfd from 1000mmcfd.
Power consumers expressed anguish over repeated power failures. Some Dhaka residents reportedly experienced load shedding of up to three hours daily, while the situation is far worse outside the capital, where consumers claim to be experiencing eight hours of load shedding every day.
Abdul Halim, a resident of Dhaka’s Mohammadpur area, said his neighbourhood was experiencing midnight load shedding.
“I deal with four hours of load shedding during the day and night-time. There does not seem to be any improvement in the situation,” he said.
On the other hand, Mohammad Jamil, a villager in Barisal who is also the teacher of a primary school, told the Dhaka Tribune that farmers, examinees and children were suffering because of frequent load shedding during the ongoing heat wave.
The crisis has intensified as imports of electricity from India have come down to 350MW a day, officials said.
Power supply companies across the country are failing to meet demand.
Sources said the Dhaka Power Distribution Company Limited (DPDC) – which covers Dhanmondi, Mohammadpur, Tejgaon, Moghbazar, Dhaka (south) and Narayanganj – had a demand of 1,100MW, against which it gets only 850MW.
The Dhaka Electric Supply Company Limited (Desco) covers the areas of Mirpur, Shyamoli, Gulshan, Badda, Dhaka (north) and Tongi. Against a daily demand of around 850MW in these areas, average supply was only 700MW.
The PDB supplies electricity both to rural and urban areas except Dhaka, Barisal and Khulna metropolitan areas. PDB was getting an average of 1,300MW supply against its demand of 1,400MW.
The West Zone Power Distribution Company Ltd covers 21 districts including Barisal and Khulna City in the south-western region of the country. Against a daily demand of about 850MW, the average supply was only 800MW.
The Rural Electrification Board (REB) was getting only an average of 3,200MW against its peak demand of 3,700MW.