Power outage likely this summer as well

Power outage likely this summer as well
Power outage likely this summer as well

The government has tried to keep the summer before the general elections, free from power outage, official initiatives suggest.

However, nothing works so far as to whether uninterrupted supply of electricity will be possible this time around.

This summer is rather set to see hundreds of megawatt of power shortage, suggest records of power distributing companies.

The signs of what is technically called load-shedding have already been visible in most parts of the country, including Dhaka.

In the face of power outage the previous season, the government issued a few work orders for producing oil-burnt electricity of 1,800 megawatt so that the problem does not recur this summer.

But, in view of records of availability of power, officials concerned think, the target of supplying electricity round the clock may not be possible. The planned production of additional electricity is being delayed.

The Power Development Board (PDB) has a capacity to produce a maximum of 12,000-MW electricity this summer, officials said.

Even if the board can generate the targetted amount of electricity, the customers will get no more than 10,500-MW electricity, thanks to 10 per cent systems loss during distribution and five per cent used for producing electricity itself.

The demand for electricity as estimated for the summer is much higher -- more than 12,000 MW.

Rural Electrification Board (REB) will need 7,000 MW of electricity to meet the demand of its customers this summer, according to the official estimate. The Dhaka Power Distribution Company will require 1,714-MW and Dhaka Electric Supply Company 1,000 MW this season.

And the PDB’s regional distribution authorities will have a demand of 2,000 MW electricity.

The country saw the highest production of electricity at 10,084 MW on 19 March. Moreover, recent records suggest, the power generation has declined slightly.

When asked, the state minister for power Nasrul Hamid expressed his optimism about possible solution to the so-called load-shedding crisis by the mid-summer.

The junior minister told Prothom Alo that the beginning of summer may witness 500-600 MW shortfall a day. But, he is confident, the problem will be addressed in May and June.

“By that time, the oil-burnt power plants will start producing electricity,” he added.

However, according to the government's work order, a 600-MW oil-burnt power plant is set to start production this month (March this year). But the authorities concerned now say it may take more time.

Another furnace-oil-burnt power plant is scheduled to go on production in May-June, but that plant, too, may face a delay in production, according to people knowledgeable of the matter.

* This report, originally published in Prothom Alo print edition, has been rewritten in English by Toriqul Islam.