Energy woes mount as key power plants go offline
Mohammed Kamruzzaman Bablu :
If the Bangladesh government fails to pay Adani’s dues (at least & 17cr) by November 7 (today), Adani Power, one of India’s largest energy companies, has indicated that it will cease power supply entirely according to its set deadline.
To enforce payments, Adani has already shut down one of its units. According to the Power Development Board (PDB), Adani was supplying Bangladesh with 1,496 megawatts of electricity daily from two units of the Jharkhand-based power plant built specifically for Bangladesh.
However, since one 700 MW unit was shut down last Thursday, Bangladesh’s power supply has halved, leaving the company supplying only 733 megawatts on Monday.
Bangladesh’s power plants are already facing a severe energy crisis. The 1,150 MW Matarbari coal-fired power plant has been closed for months due to a coal shortage, while a unit of both the Rampal and S Alam Group’s SS Power plants also remains shut for lack of coal, impacting the output from the 1,234 MW Rampal plant.
Additionally, 22 power plants are either partially or fully closed due to a gas shortage, and 27 furnace oil and diesel-based plants are also affected by fuel shortages. As a result, residents face significant power cuts, even in November’s lower-demand period.
Consequently, load shedding has increased to about 1,000 MW nationwide. However, the PDB has claimed there is currently no load shedding, citing lower demand due to cooler weather. The PDB’s data for Monday showed electricity demand at 13,500 MW and production at 13,974 MW, though this does not match Power Grid Bangladesh’s figures.
According to the Power Grid, as of Monday afternoon, demand stood at 12,050 MW, with production at 11,947 MW, indicating a 98 MW shortfall plant has been closed for months due to a coal shortage, while a unit of both the Rampal and S Alam Group’s SS Power plants also remains shut for lack of coal, impacting the output from the 1,234 MW Rampal plant.
Additionally, 22 power plants are either partially or fully closed due to a gas shortage, and 27 furnace oil and diesel-based plants are also affected by fuel shortages. As a result, residents face significant power cuts, even in November’s lower-demand period.
Consequently, load shedding has increased to about 1,000 MW nationwide. However, the PDB has claimed there is currently no load shedding, citing lower demand due to cooler weather. The PDB’s data for Monday showed electricity demand at 13,500 MW and production at 13,974 MW, though this does not match Power Grid Bangladesh’s figures.
According to the Power Grid, as of Monday afternoon, demand stood at 12,050 MW, with production at 11,947 MW, indicating a 98 MW shortfall. Of this output, Adani supplied 733 MW, with an additional 905 MW imported from Bheramara and 58 MW from Tripura, totalling 1,696 MW from India, while 10,251 MW was generated locally.
Domestic electricity generation came from 5,339 MW in gas-fired plants, 1,613 MW in liquid fuel plants, 2,550 MW in coal plants, 176 MW from hydro, and 573 MW from solar sources. Bangladesh’s total power generation capacity is 27,000 MW from 144 power plants, but several remain closed for maintenance or fuel shortages.
Analysts, however, question the official figures, suggesting that the 98 MW shortfall reported by the grid does not accurately reflect the situation. If even a 5% loss is accounted for, the deficit would be approximately 600 MW, with some experts estimating it is even higher.
Engineer Shamsul Alam, a power sector analyst, stated, “If there is no shortage of electricity, why is there widespread load shedding across the country?” He criticised the calculations used for load shedding, noting that the actual situation remains obscured.
An official from the power grid, speaking anonymously, confirmed reports of long power cuts in parts of the country, with up to 8-10 hours of load shedding in areas like Chittagong and Pirojpur, and similar issues in northern regions.
City dwellers in Dhaka also reported power cuts of 1-2 hours in various areas. According to Mohammad Shamim Hasan, Director of the PDB, “Currently, there is no shortfall in production. However, load shedding is occurring due to issues within the system. As winter approaches, demand will drop, but if this persists, there will be problems by summer.”
Bangladesh’s electricity demand exceeds 17,000 MW in summer and drops to around 9,000 MW in winter. The main challenge is that, despite its production capacity, Bangladesh lacks sufficient raw materials for power generation.
A PDB director explained, “There is a gas shortage, a coal crisis, and insufficient LNG supply. Several major power plants are idle due to the coal shortage. Adani’s supply has halved, and while winter brings reduced demand, this will pose issues in summer if it continues.”
Energy expert Professor Dr. Ijaz Hossain stated, “By 2030, we will need to import 92% of the fuel required for electricity, increasing pressure on the dollar.” He noted that while Bangladesh has natural gas and coal resources, these remain untapped due to various obstacles, leaving the sector vulnerable. “Additionally, the power plants that we’ve constructed are often unplanned, and we failed to negotiate effectively with Adani. Now we’re facing the consequences.”
He further commented that the power sector is currently operating without adequate planning. “They are uncertain about coal supplies, gas status, or liquid fuel stock. The lack of planning from previous administrations has led to these challenges. Some measures could have been taken in the interim.”
He concluded, “We need to rethink the power sector. A country cannot rely indefinitely on foreign sources. We have infrastructure but little independence, and the system has been created to benefit others.”