Despite chilly weather, load-shedding persists amid severe gas crisis

Despite chilly weather the country is experiencing load-shedding due to a fall in power generation because of a severe gas crisis.

The data of the Power Grid Company of Bangladesh (PGCB), which controls the country's transmission system, shows that the country experienced about 322 MW on Wednesday (24 January ) when the power generation fell to a level of 9113 MW at 9 am when normally the demand remains relatively lower during the peak winter compared with a day in the summer season.

In the summer, the demand goes up to 16,000 MW.

The PGCB data also shows that at the time the country's demand was 9450 MW and the gas-fired generation was reduced to a level of 4053 MW against its actual capacity of 11708.00 MW which shares 45.12 percent of the country's total grid-connected generation capacity of 25951 MW.

It reveals that in recent days the country experienced the most load shedding of 808 MW on 21 January at 11am due to the gas crisis. 

Available data with the state-owned Petrobangla shows that some 30 gas-fired power plants have remained off due to gas shortages that led to a drastic fall in power generation.

The plants include Unique Meghnaghat 584 MW, Doreen Narsingdi 22 MW SIPP, Doreen Tangail 22 MW SIPP, Summit Meghn. 335 MW, HPS (100 MW), Siddhirganj (2x120 MW), Tongi (80 MW), Aggreko (GSL)-145 MW Rent, HPL ( 360 MW ), HPL ( 360 MW ), Chandpur 150 MW CCPP, APS 450 MW CCPP, Ashuganj 200 MW Modular, APS 450 MW CCPP E, Sikalbaha 40 MW, Raozan (2x210) MW, S.Bazar 100 MW, S.Bazar 330 MW, K.gaon 3 yrs rent 50 MW, S.Bazar 3 yrs rental 50 MW, K gaon 142 MW CCPP, Habiganj 11 MW SIPP, Bibiyana-3 400 MW, F.ganj 15 yrs rent 51 MW, F.ganj 3 yrs rent 50 MW, Bogra 3 yrs rent (20 MW), Bogra 15 yrs rent (20 MW), Baghabari (100+71 MW, NWPGCL Unit - 1,2,3, Aggreko 95MW, and Bheramara 360 MW.

These plants together have a power generation capacity of 6012 MW from which the country is being deprived of.

 The data also reveals that Petrobangla has been producing 2582.6 million cubic feet of gas per day (mmcfd) against its total demand of more than 4,000 mmcfd meaning that the shortfall is over 1,500 mmcfd.

Petrobangla officials attributed this crisis to the fall in import of liquefied natural gas (LNG).

"The two LNG terminals have a combined capacity to supply a total of 1000 mmcfd while they are providing 529 mmcfd which is almost half of their capacity", said one official.

"Actually the ongoing dollar crisis has been the main constraint behind the decreasing import of the LNG", he added.

Due to a shortage in gas supply, residential consumers in Dhaka and elsewhere have been experiencing a serious difficulty in their day-to-day cooking while industries are suffering a lot.

Many residents from different areas in Dhaka city alleged that they don't get any gas during the day period and have to wait until midnight to manage their cooking.

Petrobangla and Titas Gas officials said they can not give any assurance for a substantial improvement in the supply until the dollar crisis is fully resolved.

State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid recently said that he hopes the situation in Dhaka city will improve soon.

He also noted that his ministry is taking measures to increase the import of the LPG as 80 percent of the household consumers use this liquefied gas while only 20 percent use piped gas.