Load shedding in every alternate hour has made a come back in the city in last few days because of a decline in power generation due to gas shortage and increase in demand after the Eid holidays.
Power generation declined to around 4,000MW this week from around 4,200-4,400MW last week whereas official demand of electricity shot up to around 5,200MW from around 4,300-4,800MW, officials said.
‘Power situation was better during and after Eid. But we have been facing load shedding again in almost every alternate hour in last three to four days,’ said Abdul Khaleque, a resident of Rampura.
Shamima Haque, a resident of Shewrapara said load shedding coupled with hot and humid weather was making life miserable in last few days. ‘We are also facing difficulties in water supply because of lack of electricity,’ she said.
Residents alleged that the power situation deteriorated as soon as the government last week admitted there would be renewed power outages with high frequency till the winter.
Outages in other parts of the country are more severe as most of the areas outside the capital face around 10-16 hours of load shedding.
Officials of electricity utility services attributed the power crisis to gas shortage as the gas authorities started to divert gas to fertiliser plants to produce urea for the coming boro cultivation season.
‘PDB got around 800-830 million cubic feet of gas per day during Ramadan from the second week of August to the first week of September. We generated around 4,300-4,500MW during that time against the demand of around 5,500MW,’ said an official.
The state power agency generated around 4,000-4,290MW last week. The demand of electricity was around 4,300-4,700MW during evening peak hours from September 13 to 16.
But officials said the supply of gas came down to around 700-725mmcfd in last three to four days, resulting in a decline in power generation.
‘Although power generation declined, the demand shot up to 5,200MW as industrial activities intensified after the Eid holidays. Besides, the increase in temperature after monsoon also pushed up the demand for electricity, said one official.
Officials of Petrobangla said that gas supply to power plants was reduced after Eid holidays as industrial activities resumed while the authorities decided to resume gas supply to a number of fertiliser plants.
Gas supply to Jamuna Fertiliser Company, Chittagong Urea Fertiliser Company, Urea Fertiliser Factory, Palash Urea Fertiliser Factory and Karnaphuli Fertiliser Company remained suspended during Ramadan for supplying additional gas to the power plants.
Jamuna has started operation again while CUFL will resume production soon. ‘When these two plants go into full production gas supply to power plants will be reduced further as we need fertiliser for the coming boro season,’ said an official.
Power utility officials said that power shortage might ease from mid-October when demand for electricity would be less as weather would be slightly cooler.
