Another 3-4 months for the power crisis to end: Tawfiq-e-Elahi

It will take another three-four months for the electricity crisis to end, said Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury, energy adviser to the prime minister.

"For now, there is little choice but to be patient," he said in response to a reporter's query after a Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS) event in the capital Sunday.

He also said that electricity produced by the coal-powered Rampal power plant will be added to the national grid by the end of this year. Besides, electricity supply from India's Jharkhand is expected to start from the beginning of next year.

"When electricity from both Rampal and Jharkhand are added to the national grid, the electricity crisis will end. There will be no more load shedding," he added.

Explaining the energy crisis, the energy adviser to the PM said, "If we had no fuel shortage in the country, it would have been possible to provide uninterrupted electricity. Due to the fuel shortage, power generation capacity has decreased."

He further said, "Now we have to reserve foreign currency and this is a global problem."

"Besides, recently our national grid failed. It will take some time to fix this. The government is always trying and we must be patient," he said.

Tawfiq-e-Elahi said when the world situation is fixed, then there will be no problem in importing fuel.

He pointed out that in Bhola there is some gas deposit, which the government is trying to convert into CNG

"We are expecting about 80mmcf of gas from Bhola. Besides, another 100mmcf gas is expected from other wells we have. We are working on it," he said.

Tawfiq-e-Elahi said the government is also trying to increase the production of solar power and expects to produce at least 1000MW within a year.

"The government has moved towards coal power considering alternative means of electricity. This will now serve us in times of crisis. When the government first took the coal power initiative, many people were against it. Still we kept some coal projects, which will now help us in troubled times. 1000MW electricity will come from Payra power plant," he said, adding, "If we didn't have coal power, we would be in more danger."

To overcome the current electricity crisis, Tawfiq-e-Elahi said the cooperation of countrymen is needed.

"In England, the government has asked to keep a 3-hour blackout. In France, they asked to not use hot water during winter. We should also have a sense of responsibility on our own. It is not right to use AC just because you can afford it. Everyone should spend wisely," added the prime minister's energy adviser.