Fire at Fenchuganj grid disrupts power supply to Northeastern districts

Some areas of Bangladesh’s northeastern districts experienced power supply disruptions due to a fire incident at a grid sub-station of Fenchuganj power station. According to official sources from Power Grid Company of Bangladesh (PGCB) that operates the substation, the fire broke out at 10:45am on Monday at the transformer of the 230-132 kV grid substation leading to a shutdown in power supply. As a result, the power supply from the substation to a number of areas of four districts - Sylhel, Habiganj, Comilla, and Moulvibazar was disrupted. Five power plants generate electricity from the Fenchuganj power station are 97MW Fenchuganj CCPP-1 (Gas), 104 MW Fenchuganj CCPP-2(New), 51MW Fenchuganj (Barakatullah), 163MW Kushiara Fenchugonj and 44MW Fenchuganj (Energyprima). However, PGCB officials claimed that operation of no power plant was affected by the fire incident and they have been able to restore the power supply to the disrupted areas within few minutes through alternative Fenchuganj 132kV transmission grid line. A senior official of the PGCB informed that the fire at the substation was brought under control within 40 minutes with the help of local fire service. But the substation could not be resumed as its transformer was completely burnt down.