BPDB warns of immediate load-shedding risk as power payment crisis deepens
The Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) has warned that electricity supply could face immediate disruption, raising the risk of load-shedding, if generation from SS Power I Limited is suspended due to unpaid bills exceeding Tk4,000 crore.
BPDB officials acknowledged that even a partial shutdown of the coal-fired power plant, which supplies over 1,100 megawatts to the national grid, would create an instant supply gap, despite lower electricity demand during the winter season.
The warning comes after SS Power informed BPDB that persistent payment delays have severely strained its operations, limiting its ability to procure coal, spare parts and other essentials. In a letter, the company said it would be forced to shut down at least one unit unless overdue payments are settled by 15 January.
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BPDB member Md Jahurul Islam told The Business Standard managing such a shortfall would be difficult. "If SS Power shuts down, there will be an immediate gap in supply. Restarting idle plants would take time, and gas-based plants cannot easily compensate because gas supply remains constrained," he said, noting that higher LNG imports would be required to bridge the gap.
BPDB officials stressed that the loss of reliable baseload generation at this stage would significantly heighten the risk of load-shedding, particularly as alternative sources are already stretched.
AKM Jashim Uddin, superintendent engineer of BPDB's Chattogram East Zone, said there is currently no load-shedding as demand remains low.
"In summer, demand ranges between 15,000 and 16,000 megawatts. In winter, it falls to around 8,000 to 10,000 megawatts," he said, warning that the situation could become critical if the dispute persists into peak season.
Shrinking gas supply adds to load-shedding risk
Gas supply to power plants continues to lag far behind demand and has been declining further in recent days.
According to Petrobangla data, power plants received 700 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd) of gas on 4 January against demand of 2,525mmcfd. Supply fell to 662mmcfd on 3 January—barely a quarter of required levels.
Bangladesh has 152 power plants, both public and private, and also imports electricity from India and Nepal. BPDB data show that electricity demand on 5 January stood at 10,542 megawatts, while total generation, including imports, was 10,068 megawatts.
Although BPDB regularly publishes daily generation and load-shedding data, no load-shedding figures have been uploaded since 28 December. As of 4 January, 33 power plants were shut for maintenance.
The power adviser, however, said there was no official indication of load-shedding.
"A temporary disruption in electricity supply does not mean load-shedding," Fouzul Kabir Khan said. "Short suspensions for repair and maintenance are necessary to ensure uninterrupted supply during the summer and should not be described as load-shedding."
