Load-shedding eases significantly as demand falls amid rains
Rainfall in different parts of the country has provided the much-needed relief to people as there has been a decrease in load-shedding due to a drop in electricity demand.
According to the Power Grid Company of Bangladesh, load-shedding figures during the first hour of Monday demonstrated a notable reduction to 1,296MW. The demand for electricity was recorded at 12,900MW, while the supply managed to meet 11,604MW.
SM Wazed Ali Sardar, member (generation) of the Bangladesh Power Development Board, said the demand-supply gap in the distribution system has nearly been resolved.
"Any remaining shortages are primarily due to technical limitations of the power plants," he said.
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Officials said the decline in load-shedding can be attributed to the impact of the rain, which has alleviated some of the strain on the power grid. The reduced demand has enabled a more balanced supply and ensured a smoother flow of electricity to consumers.
Meteorologist Omar Farooq told The Business Standard that rainfall was recorded in around 20 locations throughout the country between 6am and 12 noon on Monday.
"Dhaka received the highest 37mm rainfall. Other areas experienced significant rainfall as well, with Baghabari in Sirajganj and Dimla in Nilphamari both receiving 32mm, Tarash in Sirajganj receiving 31mm, and Nikli in Kishoreganj receiving 20mm," he said.
In comparison, several other regions had relatively lower levels of rainfall, ranging from 1mm to 2mm, he added.
On that day, the temperatures in the country had also fallen. Dhaka's temperature was a minimum of 27°C and a maximum of 31.9°C, far off from the highs of 40°C recorded in April, a record in 58 years.
The low frequency of load-shedding was also experienced on Sunday, when demand was 13,240MW, whereas supply was 11,976MW, resulting in load-shedding of 1,264MW.
Bikash Dewan, managing director at the Dhaka Power Distribution Company, which supplies electricity to the Dhaka South City Corporation and a part of Narayanganj, said that the company's distribution system has not seen any shortage since the weather started to cool down.
Earlier on 6 June around 1 am, there was a maximum load-shedding of 3,266MW. The total demand at the time was 14,746MW, but the supply was only 11,480MW.
This was the record load-shedding this year following the closure of the country's biggest coal-based power plants over fuel shortage.
A day before that, the maximum load shedding was 3,215MW, when one unit of the Payra 1,320MW Thermal Power Plant supplied electricity for half of the day before it closed.
The Payra 1,320MW Thermal Power Plant then shut off completely on 5 June, with the closure of its second unit amid persisting coal shortage.
Bangladesh has been forced to cut power for 114 days in the first five months of 2023, reports Reuters.
The power supply authorities, however, tried to improve production by bringing plants that were preparing for test operations.
SM Wazed Ali Sardar said that they are taking steps to increase the power generation from 20 June.
Despite the ongoing dollar shortage, power plants have started receiving coal supplies as per previous contracts. On Saturday, a shipment of 26,620 tonnes of Indonesian coal arrived at Mongla Port for the Rampal Thermal Power Plant in Bagerhat.
Additionally, the Payra 1,320MW Thermal Power Plant is anticipating a coal shipment by 25 June, facilitated through a fresh letter of credit.
Meanwhile, other coal-based power plants that are still in the trial production phase are making preparations to supply the grid as their pre-commissioning coal is on the way.
