Adani cuts power supply to Bangladesh
Adani Power has reduced electricity dispatch from its 1,600-megawatt Godda power plant to Bangladesh during off-peak daytime hours because disruptions in coal transportation by rail have limited fuel supplies, the company said on Wednesday.
The reduction comes as Bangladesh is already facing a significant electricity shortfall caused by a gas supply crunch, raising concerns that lower output from the Adani plant could add to the country’s load-shedding pressure.
In a statement issued through 5W Communications, Adani Power’s public relations firm in Bangladesh, the company said severe railway congestion and multiple loading restrictions across the transport network had disrupted the movement of coal-carrying railway rakes to the Godda plant in India’s Jharkhand state.
“As a result, the plant is receiving lower-than-normal coal supplies and is temporarily forced to optimise production,” Adani Power said.
Data from Power Grid Bangladesh showed the impact of the reduced dispatch, particularly during the daytime on Wednesday.
Adani supplied 828MW at 8am, against a forecast of 1,436MW. Supply remained around 920MW for much of the day before rising to 1,061MW at 5pm.
At 10am, the plant supplied 923MW, followed by 924MW at 11am, 913MW at noon, 921MW at 1pm, 920MW at 2pm and 943MW at 3pm. Supply stood at 924MW at 4pm, according to the latest available data.
Adani Power said it had deliberately moderated daytime dispatch to preserve sufficient generation capacity for the evening peak, when electricity demand is higher.
“Consequently, the plant has moderated power dispatch during off-peak daytime hours to ensure adequate availability during the evening peak demand period,” it said.
The company had also reduced supply during the evening peak on Tuesday. It supplied 827MW at 5pm and 861MW at 6pm against a demand of 1,436MW. Supply increased to 1,314MW at 7pm, 1,315MW at 7:30pm and 1,312MW at 8pm.
Adani Power said it had informed the Bangladesh Power Development Board of the situation and was working with Indian Railways to restore normal availability of coal-carrying rakes as soon as possible.
“We expect the situation to normalise shortly,” the company said, adding that it was taking all possible measures to maximise coal deliveries and minimise the impact on power supply.
The Godda plant, which has a capacity of 1,600MW, supplies electricity exclusively to Bangladesh under a long-term power purchase arrangement.
For Bangladesh, the disruption adds to an already difficult power-generation situation, with shortages of domestic gas affecting several power plants and contributing to increased load-shedding.
The latest reduction in Adani’s daytime dispatch may have a limited immediate impact if evening supplies are maintained, but a prolonged disruption in coal deliveries could put further pressure on Bangladesh’s power system and increase the need for alternative generation or electricity imports.
