People may face load shedding during Ramzan

Staff Reporter :
Though it is predicted the country may experience more than 3,000 MW load shedding during the month of Ramzan as the demand for electricity is growing fast by about 100 MW every day, but the government’s efforts to
manage the situation in different ways. The government had a target to gradually convert about 13,000 diesel-run irrigation pumps to solar-run ones, while the government too will try to inject about 1000 MW of solar power to the National Grid within a year.
State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid has said this on the sidelines of a Dissemination Workshop on the final report of “Multipurpose Use of Land for Renewable Energy Project in Bangladesh,” held in the city’s Biduyt Bhaban on Tuesday.
However, due to primary fuel shortage, the country is now generating about 12,000 MW of electricity despite the country’s power generation capacity more than 25,000 MW.
“Demand for electricity is increasing by about 100 MW every day in the country. We’re trying our best to manage the situation in different ways”, Nasrul Hamid said.
The recent dollar crisis forced the government to suspend diesel-based power generation.
He also asked the officials of his ministry to expedite efforts to promote renewable energy generation.
“We have taken initiatives to increase the production of solar power through multiple uses of lands. Solar power generation can be increased by making use of all the unused land or water bodies or roofs of buildings in the villages as well as in the city,” he added.
It is needed to undertake the projects considering the context of Bangladesh, the State Minister said adding that the net metering system is not moving the right way.
Solar rooftop activities should be increased in the DESCO, DPDC and Nesco areas, he added.
He further said that pilot projects on floating solar or multipurpose use of land can be undertaken in Agricultural University and other universities.