Load shedding increases again with fall in power generation

Power supply situation is again getting worse with the decrease in generation and rising mercury level in hot summer.

According to official sources at state-owned Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB), the country experienced 1,451MW of load shedding at 12 noon on Monday to serve a demand of 13,300 MW.

The BPDB was able to supply the highest 11,849 MW through its generation units, they said.

The BPDB officials said there is an official forecast that during peak hours in the evening on Tuesday, the demand will go up to 14,900 MW (Generation end) and the maximum generation will be 14,937 and there will be 37 MW of surplus in the generation.

BPDB officials, however, said the forecast never reflects the ground reality as always the country experiences more load shedding than the predicted figure.

"In most of the cases, the actual amount of load shedding does not come in the official figure," said a top official of the BPDB.

Meanwhile, consumers in Dhaka city and elsewhere alleged that they have been experiencing power outages more than 6 hours a day.

Abdul Quddus, a consumer living in Kishoreganj, alleged they get electricity only for a few hours a day while most of the time they have to remain without electricity.

A resident at Moghbazar area in the capital alleged that they have to experience power cuts at every alternative hour.

BPDB official statistics showed that the organisation had to resort to load shedding of 586 MW of load shedding on Monday evening while demand was 14,203 MW and supply was 13,617 MW.

They said that due to shortage of coal and gas supply, power generation is decreasing.