Millions fail to watch WC match for power outages

Millions of viewers across the country could not watch the inauguration of the FIFA World Cup and the first match between hosts South Africa and Mexico on Friday because of frequent power outages.
People at Hatiya in Noakhali vandalised a small power plant of the Power Development Board on Friday night after they had failed to watch the first match because of power outages.
Power officials said severe outages continued across the country even at weekend on Friday as gas authorities were yet to resume supply from the Bangura field, which was closed on Monday.
The Power Development Board could generate about 3,900MW–4,000MW against the official demand for 4,900MW during evening hours. The actual demand, however, could be about 5,500MW in keeping with the Power System Master Plan 2005.
‘As there was a shortage of about 1,000MW–1,500MW against the demand for about 5,000MW–5,500MW on Friday evening, at least a third of the country covered by the electric supply network was without power,’ said a power board official about 9:00pm.
He said the frequency of outages was slightly lower than the usual 8–10 hours in the city because of the weekend. ‘But outage frequency in rural areas was much higher than the city areas,’ he said.
Reports reaching from districts such as Rajshahi, Bogra, Mymensingh, Comilla, Kushtia, Khulna and Chittagong said there was no electricity in most of these areas between 7:00pm and 9:00pm.
The New Age correspondent in Noakhali said about 9:00pm, angry residents of Hatiya went out on demonstrations in protest at power outage in the upazila.
The protesters vandalised a power generator. The other six generators from which the power board supplied electricity were out of order.
The correspondent in Kushtia said at 8:30pm there had been electricity from 7:00pm in the area.
Consumers will also face power outages during the second match scheduled to begin after midnight past Friday, he said.
The official said people would continue to face frequent outages until the gas situation would improve.
The gas crisis has worsened in four days after production at the Bangura field was suspended on Monday after an accident in the gas transmission line connected to the field. The field usually produces about 120 million cubic feet of gas a day.
The field operator, Tullow Oil, could not repair the damage till Friday although Petrobangla on Tuesday said it would take two to three days to repair the damage.
After the closure of the gas field, generation from gas-fired power plants at Haripur, Ashuganj, Mymensignh, Baghabari and Chittagong reduced by about 300MW.
Power board officials said the frequency of outages would decrease once the Bangura would start production.
‘But people will continue to face outages with slightly lesser frequency during the World Cup even with the production from the Bangura gas field as the gap between the demand and the supply will hover about 1,500MW–2,000MW during weekdays,’ an official said.

Courtesy of NewAge