Load-shedding continues despite LNG supply to powerplants resuming

The electricity situation in the country has not improved yet despite liquefied natural gas (LNG) supply resuming from the one floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) on Monday (15 May) evening.

People across the country faced frequent and hours-long power cuts even on Tuesday (16 May), although the State Minister of Power Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid on Sunday (14 May) assured that the situation will improve within two days.

There was around 3000MW load shedding yesterday afternoon, though the gap between demand and supply at 7pm was recorded at 877MW against the 12000MW demand.

Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) officials said that gas supply to the power plant has not increased yet despite the LNG supply resuming.

"Whatever the gas comes from the floating LNG regasification terminal is being distributed in the Chattogram areas. It will take time to get the injected LNG for the power generation," they said.

Of the two FSRUs, Summit LNG Terminal started injecting gas to the transmission pipeline on Monday evening and supplied 281.4 million cubic feet of gas on the day.

With the injected LNG total gas supply increased to 2441.2 million on 15 May, which dropped to 2167.5mmcf on 14 May.

However, before the LNG supply suspension on 12 May as part of a precaution to avoid any damages from Cyclone Mocha, the total gas supply in the country was 2760.4mmcf.

Gas-fired power plants supplied around 1085.5 mmcf of gas, that is now decreased to 800mmcf.

Till Monday, gas supply to the power plants was only 796.5mmcf despite LNG supply to the grid. 

BPDB is now trying to produce around 10500 to 11000 MW of electricity with the help of liquid fuel-based plants in order to meet a demand of around 14000MW to 14500MW.

The company, however, is not able to reach its total output capacity due to fuel crisis as the private producers have not paid off their electricity production bills for around five months, said sources at BPDB.  

Due to these limitations, consumers across the country have to suffer seven to eight hours long load shedding amid the scorching summer heat.