Electricity shortage, load shedding is more in villages at midnight and on holidays
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Public and private offices, courts, industries, educational institutions etc. are closed on holidays. As a result, the demand for electricity is reduced. Generally suffering from load shedding is also reduced; But this time it is not happening. Now there is high rate of load shedding even during holidays.
According to Power Grid Bangladesh (PGB) PLC, there was an average load shedding of more than 2,000 MW during the weekend on Friday and Saturday for three weeks. If there is no rain, the demand will increase this week. Then load shedding may also increase.
বিজ্ঞাপন
Power Development Board (PDB) is the main body for power generation and supply in the country. PGB conducts electricity under their guidance. And six distribution companies deliver electricity to consumers, the largest of which is the Rural Electrification Board (REB).
According to the information of these three organizations, the power generation capacity in the country is now more than 28 thousand megawatts. Although the production is 13 to 14 thousand MW due to energy crisis. But the demand is exceeding 16,500 megawatts. As a result two to three thousand megawatts of load shedding has to be done.
বিজ্ঞাপন
For several years now, load shedding has been observed during the summer season even during holidays. This is also happening this time. Load shedding is mainly being done outside Dhaka to meet the electricity shortage. Most of these are in REB areas, i.e. rural areas. In some village areas there is load shedding for more than 5 to 6 hours a day.
According to PGB data, load shedding increases every day after 10 pm. Maximum load shedding is being done from 12:00 PM to 4:00 AM for some time. Even after last Thursday midnight, about 2000 megawatts of loadshedding took place. Then at 12 pm on Friday, load shedding was 2 thousand 275 MW. It increased to 2,284 MW at 1 am. About 1,700 megawatts of load shedding has been done during the day on Saturday. It may increase at night.
People related to the power sector say that there has been an increase in the demand for electricity at midnight for several years. Although this time is supposed to decrease. This could be due to the charging of rickshaw batteries across the country. Football World Cup has been added to this. Most of the matches are from 11 pm to 6 am. At this time, the consumption of electricity is increasing due to staying awake at night to watch the game. But at that time power generation was reduced. As the deficit increases, additional load shedding has to be done.
PDB Member (Production) Md. Zahurul Islam Prothom Alok said that before midnight the demand used to decrease like 3000 megawatts. Now decreasing to around 1000 megawatts. He said, electricity generation from coal has been increased. Supply increased from yesterday. However, due to some shortage, load shedding has to be done. Additional production cannot be done from oil-fired plants as it is very expensive.
A source of REB says that 56 percent load shedding has to be done in Sherpur at 4 am on Friday. Against the demand of 62 MW they got supply of only 27 MW. At 5 pm yesterday in Bagerhat rural electricity demand was 70 MW, supply got 41 MW.
Sylhet Palli Vidyut Samity (POBIS-1) demand was 72 MW at 1 pm. Although the society has got 38 MW. Noakhali, Jamalpur, Sherpur and Tangail are found to have high rates of load shedding.
Responsible officials of PDB say that it is not possible to meet the additional demand of heating. Oil fired plant is not running. Running them at a higher rate will increase the cost. Production from coal is increasing. It cannot be increased from gas even if you want. Because the supply of gas is decreasing regularly. So planned controlled load shedding is being done. This is how summer should be spent.
Officials of Palli Vidyut Samiti say that the situation of load shedding in villages is dire. Anger among consumers is growing. Calling regularly to express dissatisfaction. Convincing customers is becoming difficult. The pressure is increasing.
According to the information of the electricity department, on May 20, the highest 17,200 megawatts of electricity was produced in the history of the country. At that time, 6 thousand 81 megawatts of electricity was produced in the country from coal. Now the average production with coal is 4 thousand 800 megawatts.
The outstanding bills of Payra power plant are more than 9 thousand crore rupees. Chittagong’s Banshkhali power plant is unable to buy coal due to outstanding bills of Tk 5000 crore. There is pressure of arrears in other centers as well. So there is concern about holding supply. PDB has not been able to pay the power plant bills regularly for several years. At present the total arrears of PDB is around Tk 45 thousand crores.
A responsible PDB official told Prothom Alo on the condition of anonymity that the price of electricity was increased in June to reduce the subsidy pressure. This will increase PDB’s income and will not increase arrears any more. But it will take more time to repay the old dues. And if oil-fired plants are not run, the pressure on the subsidy will decrease.
The power generation capacity of the oil-fired plant is 6,000 megawatts. 2.5 to 3.000 megawatts are being generated during peak demand at night. But most of the time oil fired plants are run less. The oil-powered plant owes about Tk 9,000 crore. It is also known that some centers are showing inability to generate electricity due to arrears.
It is very hot. In the meantime, there is no end to the suffering of people due to power outages. Factory owners, traders, farmers, drivers of battery-powered vehicles and people of various professions are in trouble.
Consumer rights organization Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) energy adviser M Shamsul Alam told Prothom Alo that the supply of fuel is not guaranteed due to reduced import capacity. So load shedding has become normal now, it is a routine thing. If the new government is not proactive, the suffering will not decrease, the village people will suffer more.
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