Repeated fires at Sylhet power plant raise safety concerns

Highlights:

• The latest fire broke out on 15 April morning
• It caused a six-hour power outage in Sylhet city and surrounding areas
• In 2020, a major fire caused extensive damage and a 31-hour-long power outage
• Another incident occurred in April 2021
•  Lack of coordination in security measures blamed for the repeat of fires

The 132/33kV grid substation in Kumargaon, Sylhet has been plagued by repeated fire incidents in recent years, raising serious concerns about safety and security at this critical power plant.

The latest fire, which broke out on 15 April morning, caused power outages for over six hours in Sylhet city and surrounding areas, leaving more than one lakh consumers without electricity.

This is not the first time a fire has struck the Kumargaon substation. In 2020, a major fire caused extensive damage and a 31-hour-long power outage. Another incident occurred in April 2021. These repeated occurrences beg the question: why are fires happening so frequently at such an important establishment?

According to concerned officials, the blame falls on a lack of coordination in security measures.

An investigation committee, formed by the Ministry of Power, Energy, and Mineral Resources after the 2020 fire, attributed the blaze to the substation's outdated infrastructure, established in 1967, and a lack of proper planning and management by the authorities.

The committee submitted a report in January 2021 with several recommendations to prevent future accidents, but those recommendations have yet to be implemented.

These recommendations included separating the DC control and protection systems for the 132kV and 33kV grids, installing CCTV cameras, upgrading the grounding system, and creating a system for regular inspections by qualified personnel.

The report also emphasised the importance of proper training for staff and creating separate teams from the Power Grid Company of Bangladesh (PGCB) and Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) for substation operation and maintenance.

Following the latest fire, Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Nasrul Hamid stressed the importance of cybersecurity and physical security at power plants.

He pointed out a lack of initiative among those responsible for maintenance and management, holding them accountable for the power outages and public suffering. The minister also called for the swift implementation of the investigation committee's recommendations.

The Sylhet Electricity Development Board's Chief Engineer Mohammad Abdul Qadir acknowledged that some of the recommendations are being implemented, with the construction of a new Gas Insulated Substation underway.

However, he highlighted the core issue—a lack of coordination between PGCB, PDB, and private power companies that all have equipment at the plant. He emphasised the need for better communication and collaboration among all parties involved to ensure proper security measures.

Abdul Qadir also mentioned the aging infrastructure at the plant, saying that a new grid substation is being built to address this concern.

The latest fire incident involved a high-voltage wire breaking and sparking, igniting improperly stored flammable air filters. Firefighters were able to extinguish the blaze after an hour, but not before causing significant disruption to the power supply.

Akhtar Hossain, assistant engineer at Kumargaon substation, explained that following the fire, the power supply to areas served by two feeders was disrupted. However, electricity was rerouted from other feeders to some areas until the damaged line was fixed later in the day, restoring normal supply.