Despite chilly weather, load-shedding persists amid severe gas crisis  

Despite chilly weather the country is experiencing load-shedding due to fall in power generation because of a severe gas crisis.

The data of the Power Grid Company of Bangladesh (PGCB), which controls the country's transmission system, shows that the country experienced about 322MW on Wednesday when the power generation fell to a level of 9,113MW at 9 am when normally the demand remains relatively lower during the peak winter compared with a day in the summer season.

In the summer, the demand goes up to 16,000MW.

The PGCB data also shows that at the time the country's demand was 9,450MW and the gas-fired generation was reduced to a level of 4,053MW against its actual capacity of 11,708MW which shares 45.12 per cent of the country's total grid-connected generation capacity of 2,5951MW.

It reveals that in recent days the country experienced the most load shedding of 808 MW on January 21 at 11am due to the gas crisis.

Available data with the state-owned Petrobangla shows that some 30 gas-fired power plants have remained off due to gas shortages which led to a drastic fall in power generation.

The plants include Unique Meghnaghat 584 MW, Doreen Narsingdi 22MW SIPP, Doreen Tangail 22MW SIPP, Summit Meghn 335 MW, HPS (100 MW), Siddhirganj (2x120 MW), Tongi (80 MW), Aggreko (GSL)-145MW rent, HPL ( 360MW ), HPL ( 360MW ), Chandpur 150MW CCPP, APS 450MW CCPP, Ashuganj 200MW modular, APS 450MW CCPP E, Sikalbaha 40MW, Raozan (2x210)MW, S Bazar 100MW, S Bazar 330MW, K gaon 3 years rent of 50MW, S Bazar 3 years rental of 50MW, K gaon 142MW CCPP, Habiganj 11MW SIPP, Bibiyana 3,400MW, F ganj 15 years rent of 51MW, F ganj 3 years rent of 50MW, Bogra 3 years rent of 20MW, Bogra 15 years rent of 20MW, Baghabari (100+71MW, NWPGCL Unit: 1,2,3, Aggreko 95MW, and Bheramara 360MW.

These plants together have a power generation capacity of 6,012MW, from which the country is being deprived of.

The data also reveals that Petrobangla has been producing 2,582.6 million cubic feet of gas per day (mmcfd) against its total demand of more than 4,000 mmcfd, meaning that the shortfall is over 1,500 mmcfd.

Petrobangla officials attributed this crisis to the fall in import of liquefied natural gas (LNG).

"The two LNG terminals have a combined capacity to supply a total of 1,000 mmcfd while they are providing 529 mmcfd, which is almost half their capacity", said one official.

"Actually the ongoing dollar crisis has been the main constraint behind the decreasing import of the LNG", he added.

Due to a shortage in gas supply, residential consumers in Dhaka and elsewhere have been experiencing a serious difficulty in their day-to-day cooking while industries are suffering a lot.

Many residents from different areas in Dhaka city alleged that they don't get any gas during the day and have to wait until midnight to manage their cooking.

Petrobangla and Titas Gas officials said they cannot give any assurance for a substantial improvement in the supply until the dollar crisis is fully resolved.

State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid recently said that he hopes the situation in the capital will improve soon.

He also noted that his ministry is taking measures to increase the import of the LPG as 80 per cent of the household consumers use this liquefied gas while only 20 per cent use piped gas.