The major blackouts of all time | The Business Standard
Skip to main content
  • Latest
  • Economy
    • Banking
    • Stocks
    • Industry
    • Analysis
    • Bazaar
    • RMG
    • Corporates
    • Aviation
  • Videos
    • TBS Today
    • TBS Stories
    • TBS World
    • News of the day
    • TBS Programs
    • Podcast
    • Editor's Pick
  • World+Biz
  • Features
    • Panorama
    • The Big Picture
    • Pursuit
    • Habitat
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Mode
    • Tech
    • Explorer
    • Brands
    • In Focus
    • Book Review
    • Earth
    • Food
    • Luxury
    • Wheels
  • More
    • Sports
    • TBS Graduates
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • Gallery
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Magazine
    • Climate Change
    • Health
    • Cartoons
  • বাংলা
The Business Standard

Tuesday
June 10, 2025

Sign In
Subscribe
  • Latest
  • Economy
    • Banking
    • Stocks
    • Industry
    • Analysis
    • Bazaar
    • RMG
    • Corporates
    • Aviation
  • Videos
    • TBS Today
    • TBS Stories
    • TBS World
    • News of the day
    • TBS Programs
    • Podcast
    • Editor's Pick
  • World+Biz
  • Features
    • Panorama
    • The Big Picture
    • Pursuit
    • Habitat
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Mode
    • Tech
    • Explorer
    • Brands
    • In Focus
    • Book Review
    • Earth
    • Food
    • Luxury
    • Wheels
  • More
    • Sports
    • TBS Graduates
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • Gallery
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Magazine
    • Climate Change
    • Health
    • Cartoons
  • বাংলা
TUESDAY, JUNE 10, 2025
The major blackouts of all time

Energy

TBS Report 
08 October, 2022, 11:25 am
Last modified: 08 October, 2022, 02:25 pm

Related News

  • Rizvi questions govt preparedness over new Covid variant spread
  • Bangladesh reports 5 more Covid-19 cases
  • BNP to stay on streets until Dec election demand met: Gayeshwar
  • DMTCL urges Metro passengers to wear masks amid rising Covid-19 cases
  • DMP conducts special security drill ahead of Bangladesh-Singapore football match

The major blackouts of all time

According to 'The Blackout Report - 2020,' the 2014 power outage in Bangladesh is the world’s 3rd worst in terms of the number of people affected by it 

TBS Report 
08 October, 2022, 11:25 am
Last modified: 08 October, 2022, 02:25 pm
A cityscape shows the power outage over the Hatirjheel Area in the capital following a failure in the national grid which caused blackouts for over four hours in Dhaka, Chattogram and Sylhet on Tuesday. Photo: Mumit M
A cityscape shows the power outage over the Hatirjheel Area in the capital following a failure in the national grid which caused blackouts for over four hours in Dhaka, Chattogram and Sylhet on Tuesday. Photo: Mumit M

Large parts of Bangladesh plunged into total darkness, for over seven to eight hours, earlier this week following a mechanical fault in the national power grid – a not-so-rare worldwide phenomenon. '

Although power cuts of such proportions are not that common around the world there have been instances, even in developed nations, when millions were left in complete darkness due to power supply failures. 

To put things into perspective, the blackout of 30-31 July, 2012, which took place in India affecting over 600 million people, is recorded as the biggest power cut incident ever (in terms of the number of people affected).

The Business Standard Google News Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel

Meanwhile, at least 25 districts of Dhaka, Khulna, Rajshahi, and Barishal divisions were hit by the country's biggest power outage – which brought the country to a standstill and made millions suffer – since 2014.

According to the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) and Power Grid Company of Bangladesh (PGCB), the incident was triggered by a transmission line tripping in the eastern part of the country.

Speaking with The Business Standard, Mohammad Zahurul Islam, chief engineer of Ghorashal Thermal Power Plant, said that power generation at Unit 5 of the plant has remained suspended since the national power grid failure on 4 October.

Since the plant – a  major source of the country's power generation – is powered by gas turbines, once it shuts down it takes about 72 hours to be cooled off.

Out of three units, No 7 has been closed for maintenance since 19 September and unit 4 remains operational. Before the grid disaster, units 4 and 5 were generating between 400 and 410MW per day. 

Zahurul said that they plan to restart the power plant next Monday. Once, the plant is restarted, power generation will resume after seven to eight hours and it will be connected to the national grid by evening, Zahurul said.

It was in November 2014 when Bangladesh suffered from its worst power outage which left the country's entire population without electricity for some 10-12 hours.

The catastrophic power outage is considered to be one of the world's biggest-ever – 3rd in the list titled "The Blackout Report" prepared by Riello UPS, an internationally recognized Italian wholesale UPS company – blackouts affecting around 150 million people.

Whereas the last incident of grid failure happened in several districts on 2 May, 2017. 

The following examples prove that a nationwide grid shutdown can not be seen as an "impossible" event.

Here are the biggest blackouts in history in terms of the sheer number of people affected by it – 

  1. India Blackout 30-31 July 2012 (affected 620 million people)
  2. India Blackout 2 January 2001 (affected 230 million people)
  3. Bangladesh Blackout 1 November 2014 (affected 150 million people)
  4. Java & Bali Blackout 18 August 2005 (affected 100 million people)
  5. Southern Brazil Blackout 11 March 1999 (affected 97 million people)
  6. Turkey Blackout 14 April 2015 (affected 70 million people)
  7. Brazil and Paraguay Blackout 10 November 2006 (affected 60 million people)
  8. Italy Blackout 28 September 2003 (affected 56 million people)
  9. Northeastern USA & Canada USA Blackout 14 August 2003 (affected 55 million people)
  10. Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay Blackout 16 June 2019 (affected 48 million people)

Now here is the list of the three longest electrical outages as measured in customer hours  – 

  1. 2013 Philippines Blackout (lasted for 6.3 billion hours and affected 6.7 million people)
  2. 2017 Puerto Rico Blackout (lasted for 3.4 billion hours and affected 1.5 million people)
  3. 2019 Venezuela Blackout (lasted for 3.2 billion hours and affected 30 million people)

Bangladesh / Top News

Bangladesh / Power outage / Blackout

Comments

While most comments will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive, moderation decisions are subjective. Published comments are readers’ own views and The Business Standard does not endorse any of the readers’ comments.

Top Stories

  • In this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, right, shakes hands with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent before their meeting to discuss China-U.S. trade, in London, Monday, 9 June 2025. Photo: Xinhua via AP
    US and China in trade talks in London after Trump's phone call with Xi
  • Representational image. Photo: iStock
    Mild heatwave sweeping over parts of country
  • Representational image. Photo: Collected
    BSF pushes 20 more people into Bangladesh through Dinajpur, Thakurgaon borders

MOST VIEWED

  • On left, Abdullah Hil Rakib, former senior vice president (SVP) of BGMEA and additional managing director of Team Group; on right, Captain Md Saifuzzaman (Guddu), a Boeing 787 Dreamliner pilot for Biman Bangladesh Airlines. Photos: Collected
    Ex-BGMEA SVP Abdullah Hil Rakib, Biman 787 pilot Saifuzzaman drown in boating accident in Canada
  • A photo showing the former president on his return to Dhaka today (9 June). 
Source: Collected
    Former president Abdul Hamid returns to Bangladesh from Thailand
  • File photo of Eid holidaymakers returning to the capital from their country homes/Rajib Dhar
    Dhaka: The city we never want to return to, but always do
  • Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus leaves for a four-day visit to the United Kingdom from the Dhaka airport on 9 June 2025. Photo: CA Press Wing
    CA Yunus leaves for UK; discussion expected on renewable energy investment, laundered money
  • Inside the aid ship stormed by Israeli forces on 9 June 2025. Photo: BBC
    Israeli forces stormed aid boat carrying Greta Thunberg bound for Gaza: Freedom Flotilla Coalition
  • Enhanced surveillance at Ctg airport amid rising global Covid-19 cases
    Enhanced surveillance at Ctg airport amid rising global Covid-19 cases

Related News

  • Rizvi questions govt preparedness over new Covid variant spread
  • Bangladesh reports 5 more Covid-19 cases
  • BNP to stay on streets until Dec election demand met: Gayeshwar
  • DMTCL urges Metro passengers to wear masks amid rising Covid-19 cases
  • DMP conducts special security drill ahead of Bangladesh-Singapore football match

Features

File photo of Eid holidaymakers returning to the capital from their country homes/Rajib Dhar

Dhaka: The city we never want to return to, but always do

1d | Features
Photo collage shows political posters in Bagerhat. Photos: Jannatul Naym Pieal

From Sheikh Dynasty to sibling rivalry: Bagerhat signals a turning tide in local politics

2d | Bangladesh
Illustration: TBS

Unbearable weight of the white coat: The mental health crisis in our medical colleges

5d | Panorama
(From left) Sadia Haque, Sylvana Quader Sinha and Tasfia Tasbin. Sketch: TBS

Meet the women driving Bangladesh’s startup revolution

6d | Panorama

More Videos from TBS

Khadi in a New Form Amid Various Crises in Fashion

Khadi in a New Form Amid Various Crises in Fashion

1h | TBS Stories
US and China to meet in London for trade talks

US and China to meet in London for trade talks

14h | TBS World
The forbidden point on Cox's Bazar beach is like a death trap

The forbidden point on Cox's Bazar beach is like a death trap

17h | TBS Today
Israeli forces seize Gaza aid boat carrying Greta Thunberg

Israeli forces seize Gaza aid boat carrying Greta Thunberg

18h | TBS World
EMAIL US
contact@tbsnews.net
FOLLOW US
WHATSAPP
+880 1847416158
The Business Standard
  • About Us
  • Contact us
  • Sitemap
  • Advertisement
  • Privacy Policy
  • Comment Policy
Copyright © 2025
The Business Standard All rights reserved
Technical Partner: RSI Lab

Contact Us

The Business Standard

Main Office -4/A, Eskaton Garden, Dhaka- 1000

Phone: +8801847 416158 - 59

Send Opinion articles to - oped.tbs@gmail.com

For advertisement- sales@tbsnews.net