Load-shedding rises coupling with heat

Muslima Jahan, a resident of West Sheorapara in the capital, returned home from office at 9 PM Sunday. As she was about to heat up food kept in the fridge using the oven, the power went out. They managed to finish their dinner somehow using a chargeable light. Later, when she tried to heat food for her four-and-a-half-year-old daughter, she found there was no gas on the stove either. But even after waiting for a while, the electricity was not restored, nor did the gas supply. Forced by the situation, she fed her daughter dry food that night.

Muslima said that earlier she used to prepare her daughter's school tiffin at home, but now due to the shortage of gas and electricity, she has to give her outside unhealthy food. Muslima is not alone; for the past month and a half, everyone across the country has been going through such crises to varying degrees. Factory production is declining at an alarming rate. While load-shedding in Dhaka is somewhat lower, in other areas, especially in villages, the power outage remains for hours in areas. Children, the elderly, and sick patients in hospitals are suffering the most. Farmers are counting losses, and the incomes of small traders and battery-run auto-rickshaw drivers have decreased.

Professor Dr. M. Shamsul Alam, energy advisor to the consumer rights organization CAB, told Agamir Somoy, "As the energy sector is import-dependent, costs are rising at an alarming rate. The amount of money needed to manage this expenditure is not available. However, by reducing unjustified expenses in the power and energy sector, there is an opportunity to save about Tk 40,000 crore within six months."

According to him, it is not possible to ensure the country's energy security with imported LNG. Still, the initiative to build another LNG terminal is unreasonable. The government must focus on exploring domestic gas. For now, energy efficiency must be prioritized. The use of solar power must be increased, and the Rooppur nuclear power plant must start production quickly.

Load-shedding rises with heat: Earlier this month, when the heat subsided somewhat, electricity demand dropped to 14,000–15,000 MW. Load-shedding then decreased slightly, but as the heat increased, so did load-shedding. Among these, yesterday (Monday) at 3 PM, load-shedding amounted to 3,216 MW. At that time, electricity demand had exceeded 16,000 MW.

Currently, the domestic coal-based power plants have a capacity of about 6,500 MW. However, due to coal shortages and mechanical faults, production stands at 4,600–4,800 MW. India's Adani Power supplies more or less 1,400 MW of electricity, but now from there as well, the daily average supply is 1,000–1,100 MW. Meanwhile, the capacity of gas-based power plants in the country is 12,154 MW. To generate power at full capacity from these plants, 250 crore cubic feet of gas is required. Currently, only about 85 crore cubic feet of gas is being supplied, causing production to drop below 5,000 MW.

Mohammad Zahurul Islam, Member (Production) of the Power Development Board, said, "It is expected that the coal shortage at Rampal will be resolved within this week. Adani is being regularly urged to increase power supply. However, they have conveyed the actual situation there, stating that due to excessive rainfall and a crisis in the railway lines for coal transport, they are unable to increase supply."

Domestic gas declining, uncertainty over LNG as well: A major reason for the crisis is the decline in domestic gas production. Although the two LNG terminals have the capacity to supply 110 crore cubic feet of gas per day, due to cargoes not arriving on time, only 70–71 crore cubic feet of gas has been supplied for several days. Together, domestic gas and LNG supply total 232 crore cubic feet. However, according to official estimates, daily gas demand is 380 crore cubic feet, although in reality, demand is around 550 crore cubic feet.

Petrobangla Director (Engineering) Md. Shoaib informed, "So far this month, there has been no complication with cargoes. Efforts are now being made to ensure that the October cargoes also arrive on time."