Anisul Islam Noor :
Acute shortage of electricity across the country is unlikely to be bridged soon as the generation and distribution are in trouble following a grid tower collapsed early this month, Power Division sources said.
Dhaka Power Distribution Company (DPDC) supplies about 1500 MW electricity to its area per day while Dhaka Electricity Supply Company (DESCO) supplies 850 MW.
Executive Director of the DPDC said they are now getting 1100 to 1200 MW electricity against the demand for 1500MW. DESCO Managing Director Brigadier General (retd.) Shahed Sarwar said they are getting only 600 MW electricity against the demand for 850MW.
Sources close to these electricity distribution entities said real short supply against the consumption in the evening peak hours is stood around 1000MW in Dhaka city.
According to our correspondents, the villagers and people in big cities including Chittagong, Sylhet, Khulna and Rajshahi, are facing on an average 10-hour power outage a day.
Low-voltage was also a problem. This power outage has apparently caused by increased use of electricity due to the recent heat wave and closure of some big power stations.
A few of the power plants were closed down for repairs ahead of Ramadan while one or two have suddenly been shut due to technical glitches.
The closed Bibiana power plant run by Summit Group, which produces 341 MW of electricity, was not able to restart till Tuesday evening.
Power Development Board (PDB) sources said Meghnaghat’s 450 MW power plant is among of those, which have been shut for repairs and maintenance.
It will resume operation by 27 May. And Ashuganj’s 360 MW power plant may take six days more while Bheramara and Barapukuria will also take a few more days.
Meanwhile, the government celebrated 15,000 MW power generation capacity of the country recently.
In reality, the authorities never had been able to produce more than 9,200 MW.
There is a short supply of 1700 MW electricity at Rural Electricity Board distribution areas. The REB subscribers demand 5200 MW of electricity a day, but it now can provide just 3500 MW. As a result, REB faces a 1700 MW power shortfall.
Rajshahi North-West Zone Power Distribution Company Chief Engineer Rezaul Karim said the power authorities are not getting more than 500 MW electricity while their customers demand 900 MW.
The power division’s regional office sources said customers in Rangpur division, including Panchagar, Thakurgaon, Dinajpur districts, need 500-530 MW of electricity, but 280-320 MW is being supplied.
Western Zone Power Distribution Company covers 21 districts in the greater Khulna and Barisal.
The region demands 1,400 MW of electricity. The company sources said they are now getting just 900 MW.
