Rising heat deepens power outage woes

As temperatures rise across the country, electricity demand is surging, intensifying load-shedding nationwide and fuelling concerns of a worsening power crisis in the months ahead.

Meanwhile, one unit of the Adani power plant has gone offline due to technical issues on Wednesday, further worsening load-shedding.

The Bangladesh Meteorological Department recorded maximum temperatures of 36.3°C, 36.6°C and 38°C over the past three days, and has warned of multiple heatwaves between April and June.

As the heat intensifies, the use of fans, air conditioners and other cooling devices has increased sharply. Electricity demand has also risen in agriculture due to Boro irrigation, and in industry where reliance on generators is growing.

Since early April, outages have escalated. Latest data show that power demand on Monday evening reached about 15,330 megawatts (MW), against a shortfall of 1,358 MW.

The highest load-shedding that day stood at 1,932 MW, while in recent days it has hovered close to 2,000 MW.

According to the Bangladesh Power Development Board (PDB), daily electricity demand at the substation level averages between 15,500 and 16,000 MW, while actual generation remains at 13,000–14,000 MW, leaving a deficit of 1,000–2,000 MW. The gap widens further during peak hours.

On Monday evening peak hours, demand stood at 15,200 MW, while generation was 13,198 MW, resulting in load-shedding of 1,912 MW. At different times of the day, outages ranged between 913 MW and 1,840 MW.

However, sector insiders say the actual demand and outages are higher than official figures, alleging that load-shedding is being underreported by lowering projected demand.

There are stark regional disparities in power supply. While Dhaka experiences relatively limited outages — around one to two hours a day — rural areas endure far longer disruptions.

Barishal is among the worst affected, with electricity unavailable for 10–12 hours daily and outages occurring 8–10 times a day. In Rajshahi, power cuts take place 6–8 times daily, leaving areas without electricity for up to 12 hours.

Khulna faces outages lasting 6–10 hours, while rural parts of Chattogram report 6–8 hours without power, with some areas experiencing up to 16–17 hours of disruption.

Outside urban centres in Dhaka division, outages last 6–8 hours daily, while Cumilla, Mymensingh, Sylhet and Rangpur also report significant disruptions. Around 38 per cent of electricity generated during peak hours is supplied to Dhaka, reducing availability elsewhere.

The crisis is taking a heavy toll on agriculture, small industries and businesses. In districts such as Naogaon, Natore, Cumilla, Kurigram and Pirojpur, irrigation for Boro cultivation is being disrupted by unreliable power supply.

In Gazipur’s industrial zone, electricity supply stands at about 312 MW against a demand of 484 MW, resulting in 6–8 hours of daily outages and reduced industrial output.

The garment and textile sectors are particularly affected, with production reportedly halved in some cases.

Farmers are also grappling with limited diesel supply, compounding irrigation challenges.

“Frequent power cuts make it difficult to run electric irrigation pumps,” farmers in Brahmanbaria and Khulna said, warning of potential declines in crop yields.

Industrialists warn that continued disruptions could lead to missed export deadlines.

“Load-shedding, along with fuel shortages, has made it extremely difficult to maintain normal production,” said a garment factory owner in Narayanganj.

Industry leaders fear that cancelled orders could undermine export earnings and broader economic growth.

Although Bangladesh has an installed power generation capacity of over 28,000 MW, much of it remains underutilised due to fuel shortages. Of the country’s 139 power plants, 18 are currently shut down due to lack of gas or oil, while output has declined in 35 others.

Around 88 per cent of power plants rely on fossil fuels — oil, gas and coal — leaving the sector vulnerable to global energy price fluctuations. Rising furnace oil costs have further constrained production from oil-based plants.

The government projects peak demand to exceed 18,000 MW this summer, but meeting that demand will be difficult without sufficient fuel supply.

Meanwhile, discrepancies between data from the Power Grid Company of Bangladesh (PGCB), PDB and distribution agencies such as the Rural Electrification Board (REB) have raised concerns over transparency.

Energy experts, including Professor M. Tamim, say the actual deficit is likely higher than reported and have called for greater transparency in data disclosure.
With forecasts indicating six to eight heatwaves, including several severe ones, the power situation is expected to deteriorate further unless fuel supplies improve and generation increases.

Despite government measures such as reducing office hours and limiting commercial activity to conserve energy, their effectiveness remains uncertain. As temperatures continue to climb, millions — particularly in rural areas — face prolonged outages, posing risks to livelihoods, education and economic stability.