Home ›› 07 Jul 2022 ›› Front
Despite an increase in demand, power generation is still low and interruption in electricity supply has gone up slightly over the past few days around the country — leading to a rise in the frequency of load-shedding.
Power cuts are happening more and more since about 2,000 MW of electricity is not entering the national grid per day, said sources at Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB).
Dhaka Power Distribution Company (DPDC) and Dhaka Electric Supply Company (DESCO) say a combined shortfall of over 480 MW is leading to load-shedding around the capital city.
According to BPDB, at present, 10,831 MW of electricity is generated during the peak hours during the day and 12,036 MW during the peak hours at night. However, there is still an additional demand for at least 2,000 MW.
A BPDB official said they received 900 million cubic feet of gas on Tuesday, against a daily demand of 1,500 million cubic feet.
As a result, on Tuesday night, 4,600MW of electricity was generated from the gas-fired power plants during the peak hours while the oil-fired power plants generated 5,495 MW, said the official.
Meanwhile, according to Bangladesh Rural Electrification Board (BREB), the condition is worse in the rural areas around the country. Power cuts are happening more and more in all 69 BREB grids because the electricity supply is very low against the demand.
The areas under BREB’s Palli Bidyut Samity where load-shedding is most frequent include Dhaka, Gazipur, Manikganj, Narsingdi, Narayanganj, Mymensingh, Jamalpur, Netrokona, Sherpur, Tangail, Kishoreganj, Magura, Faridpur, Satkhira, Meherpur, Kushtia, Jashore, Bagerhat, Khulna, Pirojpur, Noakhali, Habiganj, Feni, Chandpur, Sunamganj, Moulvibazar, Sylhet, Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar, Sirajganj, Pabna, Bogura, Naogaon, Rajshahi, Gaibandha, Dinajpur, Rangpur, Thakurgaon and Kurigram.
Similarly, the areas under BPDB where load-shedding is most frequent include Kadda, Kabirpur, Joydebpur, Tongi, Rajendrapur, Bhulta, Dhamrai, Savar, Manikganj, Sonargaon, Narsingdi, Bhaluka, Mymensingh, Jamalpur, Netrokona, Sherpur, Tangail, Kishoreganj, Magura, Jashore, Benapole, Khulna, Feni, Bagerhat, Mongla, Chuadanga, Faridpur, Nawapara, Narail, Shahajibazar, Sreemangal, Kulaura, Fenchuganj, Sunamganj, Kachua, Chhatak, Beanibazar, Dohazari, Shahmirpur, Shikalbaha, Bairirhat, Hathazari, Cox’s Bazar, Sirajganj, Shahjadpur, Pabna, Ishwardi, Bhangura, Amanura, Pabna, Naogaon, Niamatpur, Amangab, Palashbari, Saidpur, Rangpur, Mithapukur, Thakurgaon, Panchagarh, Kurigram and Lalmonirhat.
DPDC Managing Director Bikash Dewan said load-shedding has increased because there is a deficit of 400 MW in their distribution areas under the south region of Dhaka city.
DESCO Managing Director Kawsar Amir Ali said, “We saw a low deficit on Tuesday than the day before. There was a shortage of only 80 MW in the afternoon.
“However, we are still going for power cuts for at least 30 minutes in the peak hours both during the day and night in areas under Dhaka North.”
Zakiul Islam, managing director of Northern Electricity Supply Company (NESCO), said the total demand for electricity in Rajshahi is 400-450 MW and the deficit is about 100 MW. “The demand in Rangpur is 190 MW but we are getting less than 90 MW.”
An official of the West Zone Power Distribution Company (WZPDCL) said the total demand for electricity in the areas under it was 613 MW. On Tuesday night, the deficit was 72 MW.
