Power consumers have started feeling the pinch of blackout as more than 10 large- and medium-sized power plants now remained out of operation either for maintenance or forced shutdown.
According to official sources, the city dwellers and people living elsewhere have started experiencing load shedding for 4-5 times a day, and each time, the blackout continues for minimum an hour as the extra demand for irrigation as well as weather have shoot up the overall electricity demand.
Due to the closure of these power generation units, state-owned Power Generation Board (PDB) ca now supply 6000-6100 MW against the countrywide demand for over 7500 MW.
However, the demand is officially shown to be between 6400-6500 MW. The PDB’s minimum (derated) generation capacity is 8,938 MW by 98 public and private sector plants.
“We’re failing to get more than 1000 MW electricity from some plants because of their closure while 500 MW remained out of generation for short supply of gas,” said a PDB director preferring anonymity. “As a result, the urban consumers in particular are experiencing the load shedding,” he added.
The closed 10 power plants are Ghorasal steam turbine unit-3, Ghorasal 100 MW, Ghorasal unit-6, Siddhirganj 150 MW steam turbine, one unit of Shiddirganj gas turbine, Tongi 105 MW, Chittagong unit-1 and unit-2, Shikalbaha 40 MW, one units in Ashuganj, Khulna 55 MW and Barapukuria 125 MW.
Apart from the 10, some units had to reduce their production capacity for gas supply shortage.
Earlier, officials had informed that all the plants under maintenance would be ready for operation before the start of the irrigation season. But despite hectic efforts, many power station authorities could not get their plants ready to resume power generation.
Similarly, it was expected that the shutdown of fertilizer factories would ease gas supply to power plants for their full-swing operation. But, the government’s such move also failed to ensure operation of gas-fired plants.
“All these factors contributed towards intensifying the load shedding in summer,” said another official.
Officials said they have to supply additional 1500 MW of electricity to the irrigation areas as par government instructions.
The government on Friday decided to increase the duration of power supply to irrigation by 2 hours. Now, the uninterrupted power supply will be from 10 pm to 8 am instead of earlier time from 11 pm to 7 am.
This time, the operation of all the heavy industries, including re-rolling and steel mills and textile, will remain closed to ensure the smooth supply of power to the irrigation areas.
Usually, the irrigation season starts in mid-February and continues till mid-May.
Source: UNBConnect
It’s unprecedented that a popular govt put its voters and countrymen to utter jeopardy to grant unlawful gains to a particular quarter. Many of the experts in the power sector advised the govt to go for the renovation and overhauling of the existing plants; but the present govt did not give ear to their wise suggestions. Rather they have always been beating the broken drum that so many thousand MWs of power has been generated through the national grid. But that all those were just hollow brags has been coming to light as the power failure and load shedding is on the continual increase. We are lamenting over our own stupidity to have put our trust in the present ruling party. Almost in all sectors they have failed us and have been implementing such anti-nation plans including granting transit through our territory for little or no benefit by even killing our rivers on which the life of lacs of people depends. They had many priorities above the trial of WCs but having failed in all else they are now trying to salvage their sinking boat by creating more and more divisions in the country. God knows whither we are heading.