Staff Reporter :
The scorching heatwave sweeping across the country has exacerbated the electricity woes, with over 2000 MW of load shedding witnessed on Tuesday, despite a slight decrease compared to the previous day.
According to data from the National Load Dispatch Centre (NLDC) at the Power Grid Company of Bangladesh (PGCB), the country experienced load shedding exceeding 2100 MW at 3 p.m. during peak hours. This occurred as electricity generation stood at 14,273 MW, falling short of the demand of 16,400 MW.
Load shedding occurs when the generated electricity falls short of demand.
As temperatures soar, so does the demand for electricity, with the NLDC forecasting a surge to 17,300 MW during
evening peak hours. Consequently, the extent of load shedding may surpass 2,200 MW in the coming days, exacerbating what is already the country’s hottest and longest heatwave on record.
NLDC data also reveals that Bangladesh’s on-grid installed generation capacity stands at 27,057 MW. However, nearly 7,000 MW of this capacity is currently unavailable due to fuel shortages and ongoing plant maintenance programmes.
“Some 4,761 MW of power remains out of generation only because of a gas shortage, “disclosed a top official of the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) to UNB, citing NLDC data.
Additionally, another 2196 MW remains out of commission due to scheduled maintenance work.
The BPDB official, seeking anonymity to discuss sensitive matters, highlighted the disparity between gas supply and demand. Currently, they are receiving 1,293 million cubic feet per day (MMCFD) of gas, falling short of the demand for over 2,317 MMCFD.
Officials underscored that rural areas bear the brunt of power outages, with consumers experiencing lengthy interruptions.
An official from the Bangladesh Rural Electrification Board (BREB) remarked, “Power outages in rural areas are so frequent that any interruption means consumers have to wait several hours to get electricity back.”
According to NLDC data, on Monday, load shedding affected various regions differently. Dhaka region experienced 360 MW of load shedding, while Chattagram saw 165 MW, Khulna 132 MW, Rajshahi 182 MW, Comilla 245 MW, Mymensingh 275 MW, Sylhet 44 MW, and Rangpur 130 MW. Interestingly, there was no load shedding in Barisal.
Despite the absence of load shedding in the capital city of Dhaka, the gap between demand and supply persists in the power system nationwide.